Jun 24, 2024 09:00:00A huge Myanmar crime syndicate that tricked foreigners into committing online scams had close ties to Myanmar and Chinese authoritiesKokang in eastern Myanmar is an autonomous region adjacent to China's, and is inhabited by a large Han Chinese population. This series of reports demonstrated the Chinese authorities' stance that they will not tolerate criminal groups targeting Chinese citizens, even if they have bases overseas. In 2023, the existence of online fraud groups based in Myanmar and other countries came to light, and the United Nations estimated that at least 120,000 people were forced to work in Myanmar. Although the Kokang clans were directly hit, many of their businesses remain intact, and other competing online fraud groups continue to operate. Researchers say that Chinese crime syndicates are shifting their scam targets from Chinese citizens to English speakers, including Americans, to avoid being investigated by Chinese authorities.

Source: Washington Post June 24, 2024 00:12 UTC