Chinese Couple Caught in Thai Crypto Crime Crackdown
A Chinese couple involved in a massive crypto scam and kidnap gang that defrauded victims of nearly $18 million has been caught by Thai police.
Lady Nabbed at Upscale Villa, Partner Wanted by Interpol
Wu Di, 27, was caught by the Technology Crime Suppression Division in a raid on Pattaya’s luxury pool villa. Her boyfriend Zhou Zongyon, 29, was also present. Zhou, who was under an Interpol Red Notice, was accused of a Cambodian kidnapping.
Fraud Schemes on Facebook and Lost Millions
Wu was accused of swindling victims via Facebook by hawking a purported Singapore-dollar investment fund. The victims were initially paid small amounts to gain trust before losing more money in the scams. One Thai teacher lost 1.5 million baht alone after investing more than a 16-day period.
Money Laundering Through Puppet Accounts
The investigators found four Thai-denominated mule accounts used to hold hot money temporarily. They then flowed the money into crypto currencies, namely USDT, via P2P exchanges on Binance and Thai domestic exchanges.
The stablecoins were finally sent to Wu’s digital wallet created in Cambodia. Her account was associated with at least 63 cases of fraud.
Evidence of Luxury Lifestyle and Consumption of Drugs
The police found incriminating materials on Wu’s phone, including images of high-end cars, stacks of cash, and suspected drug paraphernalia. She insisted she was innocent, claiming that her former boyfriend had used her account for illicit activities.
Current Investigations and Prosecution
Three Thai nationals involved in the mule accounts are already under arrest, with another still at large. Zhou is separately charged with kidnapping a Chinese woman in Cambodia who remains missing.
The Thai police confirmed the suspects will first be prosecuted domestically before being extradited to China for further legal proceedings.
