Southeast Asian Crypto Scam Centers (Operation 276)
Summary
A coordinated international law enforcement operation announced on April 29, 2026, dismantled at least nine cryptocurrency investment fraud compounds operating across Southeast Asia and Dubai, resulting in 276 arrests and the restraint of over $701 million in cryptocurrency. The operation was led by Dubai Police in cooperation with the FBI, China's Ministry of Public Security, and Royal Thai Police, targeting 'pig-butchering' romance fraud schemes operated by three alleged criminal organizations—Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company—whose compounds employed trafficked workers held under coercive conditions. The U.S. Department of Justice charged six defendants in the Southern District of California, and separately charged two Chinese nationals for managing the Shunda compound in Myanmar; related OFAC sanctions targeted a Cambodian senator and 28 associates for protecting scam compound networks.
Timeline(12 events)
2024-01-01
FBI launches Operation Level Up, a proactive victim-identification and notification initiative targeting active pig-butchering victims.
FBI2025-01-01
Shunda Park compound in Min Let Pan, Myanmar, begins operating pig-butchering fraud under alleged management of Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie.
ScamWatchHQ / DOJ2025-11-01
Shunda Park compound is seized by Karen National Liberation Army forces in Myanmar, disrupting its operations.
ScamWatchHQ2025-11-01
DOJ Scam Center Strike Force formally launched to prosecute Chinese organized crime syndicates operating Southeast Asian scam centers.
DOJ / Cybernews2026-03-01
President Trump signs executive order directing agencies to dismantle foreign-backed fraud and cybercrime networks targeting Americans, providing OFAC authority basis for forthcoming sanctions.
U.S. Treasury2026-03-01
Federal grand jury in Southern District of California returns indictment against Thet Min Nyi and a fugitive co-defendant on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges related to the Ko Thet Company.
IRS CI / DOJ2026-04-01
Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie arrested by Thai authorities on immigration charges while in Thailand.
ScamWatchHQ / Bloomberg2026-04-01
Criminal complaints filed in Southern District of California charging Andreas Chandra, Wiliang Awang, Lisa Mariam, and fugitive co-defendants for Sanduo Group and Giant Company fraud schemes.
IRS CI / DOJ2026-04-23
DOJ Scam Center Strike Force unseals charges against Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie for managing the Shunda compound in Myanmar. Telegram recruitment channel (@pogojobhiring2023, 6,000+ followers) seized. 503 fake investment domains seized.
DOJ / Chainalysis2026-04-24
U.S. Treasury OFAC designates Cambodian Senator Kok An and 28 associated individuals and entities, including Crown Resorts, K99 Group, Bolai, and Heng Feng Cambodia Bank, under the March 2026 executive order.
U.S. Treasury2026-04-24
U.S. Department of State announces $10 million reward for information leading to financial disruption of the Tai Chang scam centers in Burma's Karen State.
U.S. Department of State2026-04-29
Dubai Police, FBI, China's Ministry of Public Security, and Royal Thai Police announce the coordinated dismantlement of nine scam compounds and 276 arrests. Over $701.9 million in cryptocurrency restrained. San Diego charges against six defendants unsealed.
DOJ / IRS CIDecision Log
- hash: 3ZTWhYxquPdkDMjY6HS7k2yqY2KRhZSMxcmLDSPgNjcH
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain and source URLs are archived via the Internet Archive.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 5/22/2026, 4:00:16 PM
last updated: 5/22/2026, 4:00:34 PM
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