MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Two Fujian-born individuals previously convicted in Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering case, Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying, have been named among 14 people charged with human trafficking in the Philippines.

The charges were filed by the Department of Justice on 17 September, involving a major scam operation in Tarlac province.

Zhang and Lin, along with former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, are accused of forcing hundreds of people from various nationalities into working for a scam centre located in Bamban, Tarlac.

The site was raided in March 2024, leading to the discovery of 432 Chinese nationals, 371 Filipinos, and other individuals from Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Rwanda.

Guo, who was stripped of her mayorship in August, was arrested in Indonesia in September following her escape from the Philippines in July during an investigation into her alleged involvement in Chinese criminal syndicates.

The scam operation was run on land owned by Baofu Land Development, a company founded in 2019 by Guo, Zhang, Lin, Cypriot national Huang Zhiyang, and Philippine national Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon.

All five individuals are among those facing charges of “qualified human trafficking,” a non-bailable offence which typically carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

Qualified trafficking, as defined under Philippine law, involves cases where syndicates, slavery, or forced labour are present.

Zhang and Lin were sentenced to 15 months in prison in Singapore after pleading guilty to money laundering and forgery charges.

They were deported to Cambodia in June after completing their sentences.

Guo, who had evaded Philippine authorities by hiding in Singapore for a month, was extradited back to the Philippines on 9 September and is now facing additional charges, including graft-related offences, tax fraud, and laundering criminal proceeds amounting to 100 million pesos (S$2.3 million).

Guo, whose birth name is allegedly Guo Hua Ping, is also under investigation for fabricating her nationality to qualify for public office, a role restricted to Philippine citizens.

She is accused of falsifying her birth records to conceal her Chinese nationality.

The case has drawn further attention due to the involvement of Huang Zhiyang, reported to be the head of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos), which have been linked to human trafficking and scam operations.

Pogos, while licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), have been criticized for exploiting workers and being a front for criminal activities.

In 2022, Pogos contributed 53.1 billion pesos (S$1.3 billion) to the Philippine economy, but lawmakers continue to express concerns about their operations.

Zhang and Lin’s current whereabouts remain unclear following their deportation.

Cambodian authorities reported Zhang was deported again on 16 July, but the destination country was not disclosed.

UNITED STATES: On Thursday (19 Sept), Malone Lam, 20, of Miami, FL, and Jeandiel Serrano, 21, of Los Angeles, CA, were charged with conspiracy to steal and launder over US$230 million in cryptocurrency from a Washington, D.C. victim.

Both suspects were arrested on Wednesday night and charged in U.S. District Courts in Florida and California on Thursday.

Lam, a Singaporean citizen known online as “Anne Hathaway” and “$$$,” and Serrano, who uses the aliases “VersaceGod” and “@SkidStar,” were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

They are accused of using their online identities to fraudulently obtain over 4,100 Bitcoin, valued at more than US$230 million, from a Washington, D.C. victim, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the Miami Herald, the FBI raided a luxury waterfront home in Miami, FL, linked to Lam as part of the investigation.

The 10-bedroom, 10-bath home, listed on Zillow for US$11.5 million, was reportedly rented out to celebrities and musicians. Agents arrested Lam in Miami, while Serrano was simultaneously apprehended in Los Angeles. Neighbours described seeing Maseratis and Lamborghinis frequently parked at the Miami residence.

The indictment alleges that since at least August 2024, Lam and Serrano, along with unnamed accomplices, used sophisticated methods to gain access to victims’ cryptocurrency accounts.

The stolen funds were laundered through cryptocurrency exchanges, “peel chains,” pass-through wallets, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to obscure their origins.

The suspects allegedly spent the proceeds on luxury goods, including cars, jewellery, and rental properties in both Miami and Los Angeles.

The raid, which took place on Wednesday, was part of a grand jury indictment unsealed the next day. Agents were seen removing high-end vehicles from the property, and damage to the front gate was visible following the operation.

Local police provided support to the FBI during the raid.

The arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.