Chen Zhi, the alleged mastermind behind a vast online scam network, faces the possibility of the death penalty after prosecutors in China added an intentional injury charge to his case. Chen, 38, was extradited from Cambodia to China six months ago and formally arrested on July 6, according to reports.
Chen founded the Prince Group, a Cambodian-based conglomerate that Chinese authorities link to an extensive transnational criminal organization operating across more than 30 countries. The group’s operations have included online scams, real estate, and financial services. Prosecutors recently dropped an earlier charge of concealing criminal proceeds but introduced new counts, including copyright infringement and intentional injury.
Under Chinese criminal law, intentionally causing bodily harm or death through particularly cruel means carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and can lead to execution. The addition of this charge significantly raises the legal stakes for Chen.
Chen is also wanted by U.S. authorities, who have accused him of running one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal networks. The U.S. Treasury Department designated the Prince Group as a “transnational criminal organisation” last October. The network’s criminal activities reportedly extend to various industries and jurisdictions, complicating enforcement efforts.
Two prominent figures connected to Chen’s operations have been extradited to China and charged with crimes ranging from illegal detention to intentional injury. Liu Ren, founder of the Jinbei Group, was extradited from Cambodia in June. He is accused of managing several online gambling platforms under the Jinbei name, which allegedly targeted Chinese nationals for illegal gambling activities. Li Xiong, former chairman of Huione Group—a subsidiary of Prince Group—was extradited in April.
In addition, Hu Shi, identified as Prince Group’s alleged second-in-command, was arrested in Japan last month on document forgery charges. Authorities say Hu, a 44-year-old Chinese-born Cypriot national, used multiple aliases, including Chen Xiaojer and Hu Xiaowei. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Hu, describing him as a key figure close to Chen who helped establish Prince Group subsidiaries outside Cambodia and facilitated the organization’s international real estate dealings. Hu remains in custody in Japan.
Earlier this year, a Hong Kong court froze assets worth over HK$9 billion linked to Chen, his companies, and associates. The move underscores ongoing international efforts to disrupt the financial underpinnings of the Prince Group’s operations.
The case highlights increasing cooperation between China, Cambodia, Japan, the U.S., and other jurisdictions targeting sophisticated transnational crime networks rooted in online fraud and expanding into diverse sectors worldwide.