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She Zhijiang

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In this Chinese name, the family name is She.
She Zhijiang
佘智江
Born1982 (age 41–42)[1]
Shaodong, Hunan, China[2]
Other names
  • Tang Kriang Kai
  • She Lunkai
  • Dylan She
CitizenshipChinese (1982–2017)
Cambodian (since 2017)
Occupation
  • Businessman
OrganizationYatai International Holdings Group
Conviction(s)Illegal lottery business targeting Chinese online users (2014 in Shandong)
Capture status
Detained
Wanted by
China
Wanted since2014
Time at large
10 years
Date apprehended
13 August 2022
Imprisoned atPrison in Thailand

She Zhijiang (Chinese: 佘智江; pinyin: Shé Zhìjiāng), known as Tang Kriang Kai (Khmer: តាំង គ្រាង ខាយ),[3] and by numerous other aliases including She Lunkai, and Dylan She,[note 1] is a Chinese Cambodian businessman. As the chairman of the Yatai International Holdings Group, he and his group has long been engaged in investment and operation in grey Industries such as the gambling industry in Southeast Asia. The main targets of these industries are Chinese citizens (China's strict prohibition on gambling has led to the rampant online gambling industry targeting Chinese citizens) and Southeast Asians.[4] As convicted criminal in China, She Zhijiang was a fugitive until his capture by Thai police in August 2022. His business operations have been linked with human trafficking, extortion, and cyber scams.[5][6]

Early life

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He was born on c. 1982 in Shaodong, Hunan, China.

Business interests

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His company, Yatai International Holdings Group (abbreviated Yatai IHG), is registered in Hong Kong and headquartered in Thailand.[4] He became a fugitive in 2012, after fleeing Chinese authorities.[7] In 2014, a Shandong court convicted him of running an illegal lottery business in the Philippines that targeted Chinese online users, and had netted US$298 million in profits.[8][9]

In 2015, he began building a business in Cambodia, involved in the illicit business of helping Chinese gamblers front-load gambling bets made in Cambodian casinos.[4] From there, he expanded his business interests to the Philippines and acquired ownership of one of Manila's largest spa and entertainment centers.[4] In January 2017, he acquired Cambodian citizenship, during which he changed his name to Tang Kriang Kai.[7][10] Cambodia's government grants citizenship to individuals who donate at least US$250,000 to the government.[7] Between January 2018 and February 2021, he allegedly colluded to register gambling companies and recruited 330,000 gamblers, netting US$22.2 million in proceeds from gambling scams.[11]

Foray into Myanmar

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In 2017, Yatai received a conditional permit from the Myanmar Investment Commission to develop a small-scale housing estate in Shwe Kokko, near the Burmese-Thai border town of Myawaddy.[4] Shwe Kokko is controlled by the Kayin State Border Guard Force (BGF), consisting of former Democratic Karen Buddhist Army forces that were formally integrated into the Myanmar Armed Forces in 2010.[4][1] In 2019, the Cambodian government banned online gambling, which had come to dominate the local economy in Sihanoukville.[4][12] In response, Chinese casino and other illicit cyber scam operators quickly exited Cambodia, and found a new base at Yatai's development and similar Chinese-led developments like Saixigang and Huanya International New City Project, along Myanmar's borders.[4]

In promotional materials, Yatai claimed to be developing a US$15 billion special economic zone called the Yatai New City, encompassing 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi).[4] The scale of Yatai's ongoing development surpassed what had been approved by the Burmese government, prompting additional scrutiny from Burmese authorities.[13] In 2020, Myanmar's civilian-led government formed a tribunal to investigate irregularities in the Yatai development project, successfully halting the project.[14][15] Tensions between the Kayin State Border Guard Force and the Myanmar Armed Forces escalated over the development.[16] The Chinese government distanced itself from Yatai's development, after an expose on She was published by Caixin.[17][2]

However, after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, during which the Burmese military deposed the civilian-led government, the military became pre-occupied with addressing the ensuing Myanmar civil war, enabling the development in Shwe Kokko, now a regional human trafficking and cyber scamming hub, to resume.[18][19][14][20] Buildings have been converted into prison-like hubs from which cybercriminals run scams that target internet users around the world.[21] In December 2023, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on She Zhijiang for being linked to "forced labour schemes" in which "victims were trafficked to work for online scam farms".[22]

Arrest in Thailand

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On 13 August 2022, Thai police arrested She in Bangkok, with plans to extradite him to China to face criminal charges.[11] After his appearance in a documentary for Al Jazeera he was moved out his detention center.[23]

Self-proclaimed "Chinese spy"

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Since being arrested by Thai police, She Zhijiang has repeatedly claimed that he is a Chinese spy and will be “killed” by Chinese government “for political purposes”.[11][12] Through these statements, he seeked not to be extradited to China to face trial.[21]

September 2024, She Zhijiang appeared in a Al Jazeera short documentary.[24][25] He claimed to have been recruited by the Chinese government in 2016 while in the Philippines.[26] In this documentary, he also alleged former Philippine mayor Alice Guo who governed the town of Bamban in the Philippines is also a Chinese spy “just like him”. He called on Guo to admit his "spy identity" as soon as possible. He expressed his hope to “cooperate” with the Philippine government. Alice Guo denied knowing She Zhijiang in House of Representatives inquiries and Senate hearings.[24][25]

Notes

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  1. ^ She Zhijiang (佘智江) is his legal official names in China, while Tang Kriang Kai (តាំង គ្រាង ខាយ) is his official name in Cambodia.

References

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  1. ^ a b Nachemson, Andrew (July 7, 2020). "The mystery man behind the Shwe Kokko project". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Tang, Ailin; Fan, Wenjun; Liang, Shuting; Han, Wei (October 26, 2020). "Cover Story: A Fugitive Businessman's High-Profile Bet in Myanmar - Caixin Global". Caixin Global. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. ^ https://ocm.gov.kh/ocmwinwin20/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Chronology-Sem-1-end.pdf
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Tower, Jason; Clapp, Priscilla A. (July 27, 2020). "Myanmar's Casino Cities: The Role of China and Transnational Criminal Networks". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Thai police arrest suspected Chinese gambling kingpin". Reuters. August 16, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  6. ^ Qi, Desai; Lee, Yuk Yue; Cheng, Raymond (August 23, 2022). "Human trafficking, job scams linked to Chinese-owned casinos in Sihanoukville". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Chinese gambling kingpin taken into custody in Bangkok". AFP. August 13, 2022.
  8. ^ Strangio, Sebastian. "China Shows Signs of Cracking Down on 'Silk Road' Crime". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  9. ^ Tang, Ailin; Fan, Wenjun; Liang, Shuting; Han, Wei (October 27, 2020). "A fugitive Chinese businessman's high-profile bet in Myanmar - Nikkei Asia". Nikkei Asia. Caixin. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Tower, Jason; Clapp, Priscilla (July 2020). "Myanmar's Casino Cities: The Role of China and Transnational Criminal Networks" (PDF). Special Report (471). United States Institute of Peace: 9.
  11. ^ a b c "Chinese gambling kingpin taken into custody in Bangkok". Bangkok Post. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Strangio, Sebastian. "Inside China's Belt and Road Tangle". thediplomat.com. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Han, Naw Betty (September 5, 2019). "Shwe Kokko: A paradise for Chinese investment". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Clapp, Priscilla; Tower, Jason (November 9, 2022). "Myanmar's Criminal Zones: A Growing Threat to Global Security". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Kyaw Thu (June 16, 2020). "Myanmar Govt to Probe Contentious Chinese Development on Thai Border". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  16. ^ Han, Naw Betty (December 30, 2020). "Shwe Kokko locked down as locals fear clashes between Tatmadaw, BGF". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "中方支持缅方依法依规处理"亚太新城"问题". 中华人民共和国驻缅甸联邦共和国大使馆 (in Chinese). August 25, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  18. ^ "With conflict escalating, Karen BGF gets back to business". Frontier Myanmar. May 13, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  19. ^ Frontier (June 23, 2022). "Scam City: How the coup brought Shwe Kokko back to life". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  20. ^ "Cambodia scams: Lured and trapped into slavery in South East Asia". BBC News. September 20, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Solomon, Feliz. "A Casino Kingpin Pitched a City in Myanmar—Police Say He Helped Build a Crime Haven". WSJ. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  22. ^ "UK and allies sanction human rights abusers". GOV.UK. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  23. ^ Tulad, Victoria (October 17, 2024). "Chinese self-confessed spy now unreachable: Hontiveros". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Buan, Lian (September 27, 2024). "Alice Guo riled up by report tagging her as Chinese spy: 'It's so unfair!'". Rappler. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  25. ^ a b Oliquino, Edjen (September 28, 2024). "Self-confessed Chinese asset names Alice Guo a Chinese spy". Daily Tribune. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  26. ^ Buan, Lian (October 8, 2024). "She Zhijiang, the crime leader alleging Chinese espionage in PH through POGOs". Rappler. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
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