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{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"f6b1b2d8-24a9-43ba-8401-c14de0201fd9","kind":"publish","page_slug":"ko-thet-company-sanduo-group-giant-company","published_at":"2026-05-28T17:29:13.313Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Ko Thet Company / Sanduo Group / Giant Company","sections":[{"content":"In March 2026, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment against Thet Min Nyi (age 27, Burmese national; also known as 'Ko Thet,' 'Ko,' and 'Pixy') and a fugitive co-defendant, charging them with wire fraud conspiracy (18 U.S.C. §§ 1349, 1343) and money laundering conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)). Thet Min Nyi is alleged to be a manager and recruiter for Ko Thet Company. In April 2026, two criminal complaints in the Southern District of California charged Wiliang Awang (age 23, Indonesian national; also known as 'Wiliang Ng' and 'Lincoln'), Andreas Chandra (age 29, Indonesian national; also known as 'Jay'), Lisa Mariam (age 29, Indonesian national; also known as 'Melissa Chloe' and 'Cipul'), and an additional fugitive co-conspirator with wire fraud conspiracy. Awang, Chandra, and Mariam are alleged to have worked for and recruited others to the Sanduo Group and Giant Company. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Dubai Police arrested Thet Min Nyi, Chandra, and Mariam; the Royal Thai Police arrested Awang.","heading":"Criminal Charges and Federal Defendants","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers (San Diego Charges)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"}]},{"content":"All three organizations — Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company — allegedly operated so-called 'pig-butchering' (sha zhu pan) cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. In this model, operatives build trust with victims over extended periods through fabricated romantic or friendly online relationships, then direct victims to fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms that display false returns. Victims are encouraged to deposit funds repeatedly and, in some cases, to borrow money to increase their exposure. Once sufficient funds are deposited, the platform ceases withdrawals and the funds are laundered to accounts controlled by the fraud organizations. The 503 fraudulent cryptocurrency investment websites seized in April 2026 are connected to the operations of these three entities and represent what authorities described as 'the single largest domain takedown in the history of pig butchering enforcement.' A Telegram recruitment channel with over 6,000 followers (handle @pogojobhiring2023) was also seized and is alleged to have been used to recruit trafficked workers into the scam compounds.","heading":"Fraud Methodology: Pig-Butchering Cryptocurrency Schemes","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation — Coordinated Takedown Press Release","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ScamWatchHQ — DOJ Scam Center Strike Force, 503 Domains, Kok An Sanctions (April 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/doj-scam-center-strike-force-503-domains-kok-an-sanctions-april-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News — Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"}]},{"content":"Law enforcement and press reporting indicate that scam compounds associated with these three organizations relied in part on trafficked workers who were recruited under false pretenses — typically promises of high-paying legitimate employment — and then held against their will in compound facilities in Myanmar and Dubai, where they were coerced into conducting the fraud schemes. The April 2026 indictment of Jiang Wen Jie and Huang Xingshan (two Chinese nationals) in the Southern District of California specifically charged them with operating the Shunda scam compound in Min Let Pan, Myanmar, and alleged the facility involved forced labor and torture. Court records allege the Shunda facility 'processed hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent transfers from American victims.' The seized Telegram recruitment channel is alleged to have been a mechanism for luring trafficking victims into the compounds. While the Shunda indictment is a parallel but related case, it documents the labor trafficking infrastructure that broadly supported the pig-butchering compound ecosystem in which Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company allegedly operated.","heading":"Human Trafficking and Forced Labor","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"ScamWatchHQ — DOJ Scam Center Strike Force, 503 Domains, Kok An Sanctions (April 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/doj-scam-center-strike-force-503-domains-kok-an-sanctions-april-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News — Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"FBI Called 9,000 People Before They Could Be Scammed — ScamWatchHQ Operation Tri-Force Sentinel","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/operation-tri-force-sentinel-pig-butchering-276-arrests-701m-2026/"}]},{"content":"Operation Tri-Force Sentinel was the coordinated international enforcement action that resulted in the arrests and dismantlements attributed to these three organizations. The operation was led by Dubai Police in coordination with the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, and the Royal Thai Police. On April 29, 2026, authorities announced at least 276 arrests and the dismantlement of at least nine scam center compounds. Dubai Police apprehended 275 of the 276 individuals; the Royal Thai Police apprehended one additional fugitive. The operation was described by law enforcement as involving 'unprecedented' cooperation between U.S. and Chinese authorities. More than 20,000 victims across 30 or more countries — including the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada — have been identified as of the time of the announcement. In parallel, the FBI's Operation Level Up (active since January 2024) proactively contacted approximately 9,000 individuals who were identified through financial intelligence and blockchain analysis as being in active engagement with pig-butchering platforms, preventing an estimated $562 million in additional victim losses.","heading":"Operation Tri-Force Sentinel: International Law Enforcement Action","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation — Coordinated Takedown Press Release","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Gulf Today — Dubai Police Lead Global Sting, 276 Arrested in Tri-Force Sentinel","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2026/04/29/dubai-police-lead-global-sting-276-arrested-in-tri-force-sentinel-crackdown"},{"credibility":2,"name":"South China Morning Post — US and China in Unprecedented Cooperation Against Scam Centres in Dubai","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353389/us-and-china-unprecedented-cooperation-against-scam-centres-dubai"}]},{"content":"As part of the coordinated enforcement action, approximately $701 million in cryptocurrency was restrained as alleged proceeds of money laundering. The restraint represents one of the largest single cryptocurrency seizures linked to fraud enforcement. In addition, 503 fraudulent cryptocurrency investment web domains were seized in April 2026 — described as the single largest domain takedown in the history of pig-butchering enforcement. The FBI's Operation Level Up separately identified and prevented an estimated $562 million in future victim losses by proactively contacting approximately 9,000 individuals who were identified as being in active contact with fraudulent platforms. The cumulative fraud losses and money flows through Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company have not been separately itemized in public court filings available at the time of this investigation.","heading":"Asset Seizures and Financial Scale","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block — FBI leads arrests of 276 in global crypto pig butchering scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/399515/fbi-task-force-arrests-276-crypto-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Times — U.S. Seizes 503 Crypto Scam Websites in Major Fraud Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/04/24/u-s-seizes-503-crypto-scam-websites-in-major-fraud-crackdown/"}]},{"content":"The enforcement actions against Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company form part of a broader U.S. government initiative. On April 23, 2026, the DOJ's Scam Center Strike Force announced what it described as 'the most coordinated single-day action against Southeast Asian fraud infrastructure to date.' Actions taken that day included: the unsealing of the Shunda compound indictment against Jiang Wen Jie and Huang Xingshan; the seizure of 503 fraudulent domains; the restraint of over $700 million in cryptocurrency; the takedown of a Telegram recruitment channel; the imposition of Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against Cambodian Senator Kok An and 28 linked entities by the U.S. Treasury; and the issuance of a $10 million State Department reward for information leading to the disruption of the Tai Chang compound. The April 29, 2026 announcement of Operation Tri-Force Sentinel and the unsealing of the Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company charges followed approximately one week later.","heading":"Broader Context: DOJ Scam Center Strike Force","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ScamWatchHQ — DOJ Scam Center Strike Force, 503 Domains, Kok An Sanctions (April 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/doj-scam-center-strike-force-503-domains-kok-an-sanctions-april-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Money Laundering Watch — Scam Center Strike Force Targets Southeast Asian Scam Centers","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.moneylaunderingnews.com/2026/05/scam-center-strike-force-targets-southeast-asian-scam-centers/"}]},{"content":"As of April 2026, the FBI notified almost 9,000 individuals under Operation Level Up that they were being actively targeted by pig-butchering platforms, 77% of whom were reportedly unaware they were being scammed at the time of contact. Estimated savings to those victims total approximately $562,726,245. More than 20,000 victims across over 30 countries have been identified across the broader enforcement action. The majority of directly targeted victims whose cases involved the San Diego charges were located in the United States, though the scam platforms also targeted individuals in the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries. Specific victim counts attributable individually to Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, or Giant Company are not separately enumerated in available public filings.","heading":"Victim Impact","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI Operation Level Up — Victim Services","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation — Coordinated Takedown Press Release","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation — Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers (San Diego Charges)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI Operation Level Up — Victim Services","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI Operation Level Up — How the FBI Is Saving Victims from Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-level-up-how-the-fbi-is-saving-victims-from-cryptocurrency-investment-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News — Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block — FBI leads arrests of 276 in global crypto pig butchering scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/399515/fbi-task-force-arrests-276-crypto-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"South China Morning Post — US and China in Unprecedented Cooperation Against Scam Centres in Dubai","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353389/us-and-china-unprecedented-cooperation-against-scam-centres-dubai"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Gulf Today — Dubai Police Lead Global Sting, 276 Arrested in Tri-Force Sentinel","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2026/04/29/dubai-police-lead-global-sting-276-arrested-in-tri-force-sentinel-crackdown"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ScamWatchHQ — Operation Tri-Force Sentinel: FBI Called 9,000 People Before They Could Be Scammed","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/operation-tri-force-sentinel-pig-butchering-276-arrests-701m-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ScamWatchHQ — DOJ Scam Center Strike Force, 503 Domains, Kok An Sanctions (April 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/doj-scam-center-strike-force-503-domains-kok-an-sanctions-april-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Times — U.S. Seizes 503 Crypto Scam Websites in Major Fraud Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/04/24/u-s-seizes-503-crypto-scam-websites-in-major-fraud-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Money Laundering Watch — Scam Center Strike Force Targets Southeast Asian Scam Centers","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.moneylaunderingnews.com/2026/05/scam-center-strike-force-targets-southeast-asian-scam-centers/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Blockchain Reporter — Historic Tri-Nation Raid Dismantles 9 Dubai Crypto Scam Compounds","type":"news_article","url":"https://blockchainreporter.net/historic-tri-nation-raid-dismantles-9-dubai-crypto-scam-compounds/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Cyber Express — 276 Arrested In Operation Tri-Force Sentinel Global Bust","type":"news_article","url":"https://thecyberexpress.com/operation-tri-force-sentinel/"}],"summary":"Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company are three alleged criminal organizations that operated cryptocurrency investment fraud ('pig-butchering') scam centers, primarily in Southeast Asia and the UAE. A coordinated international law enforcement operation (Operation Tri-Force Sentinel) involving the FBI, Dubai Police, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security led to at least 276 arrests, the dismantlement of nine scam centers, the seizure of 503 fraudulent websites, and the restraint of approximately $701 million in cryptocurrency in April–May 2026. Five defendants—including one Burmese national and three Indonesian nationals—were charged with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the Southern District of California.","timeline":[{"date":"2024-01-01","event":"FBI launches Operation Level Up, a proactive victim identification initiative using financial intelligence and blockchain analysis to contact individuals actively engaged with pig-butchering platforms before they lose additional funds.","source":"FBI Operation Level Up","source_url":"https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-level-up-how-the-fbi-is-saving-victims-from-cryptocurrency-investment-fraud"},{"date":"2026-03-01","event":"A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returns an indictment against Thet Min Nyi (alleged manager and recruiter for Ko Thet Company) and a fugitive co-defendant on wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges.","source":"IRS Criminal Investigation Press Release","source_url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"date":"2026-04-01","event":"Two criminal complaints filed in the Southern District of California charging Wiliang Awang, Andreas Chandra, Lisa Mariam, and a fugitive co-conspirator with wire fraud conspiracy in connection with the Sanduo Group and Giant Company.","source":"IRS Criminal Investigation Press Release","source_url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"date":"2026-04-23","event":"DOJ Scam Center Strike Force announces its most coordinated single-day action against Southeast Asian fraud infrastructure: unsealing of the Shunda compound indictment (Jiang Wen Jie and Huang Xingshan); seizure of 503 fraudulent cryptocurrency investment domains; restraint of over $700 million in cryptocurrency; takedown of a 6,000+ follower Telegram recruitment channel; Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against Cambodian Senator Kok An and 28 linked entities; and a $10 million State Department reward for Tai Chang compound information.","source":"DOJ Scam Center Strike Force Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"date":"2026-04-29","event":"Operation Tri-Force Sentinel announced. Dubai Police, the FBI, and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security confirm at least 276 arrests across nine dismantled scam centers. Charges against Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company defendants unsealed. Dubai Police arrested 275; Royal Thai Police arrested one fugitive.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"date":"2026-05-01","event":"Detailed reporting on Operation Tri-Force Sentinel published, including confirmation that Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company operations were centered in Myanmar and Dubai, and that hundreds of workers — many allegedly trafficked — operated the scam centers.","source":"ScamWatchHQ — Operation Tri-Force Sentinel","source_url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/operation-tri-force-sentinel-pig-butchering-276-arrests-701m-2026/"}]},"v":1}