BREAKING: China Sentences 11 Members of Notorious Mafia Family to Death Over Myanmar Scam Empire
A Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the notorious Ming crime family to death, in one of the country’s most high-profile crackdowns on cross-border criminal networks, according to state media.
The verdict, handed down Monday in Wenzhou, targets a family that ran major scam operations in Laukkai, a Myanmar border town infamous for fraud, gambling, and trafficking.
In total, 39 family members were sentenced: five received suspended death sentences, 11 were given life imprisonment, and others received jail terms of up to 24 years.
The court found the Ming family responsible for a vast criminal network involving telecom fraud, illegal casinos, drug trafficking, and prostitution — generating over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) since 2015.
According to Chinese broadcaster CCTV, the Ming clan was part of one of four powerful families that controlled Laukkai, turning it into a base for the region’s shadow economy. Their compound, Crouching Tiger Villa, was notorious for detaining, beating, and torturing scam workers — many of whom were forcibly trafficked into Myanmar.
Authorities also linked the family to the murders of several scam centre workers, including incidents where victims were shot to prevent their escape to China.
The sentencing follows a 2023 crackdown in Myanmar that saw hundreds arrested and extradited to China under intense pressure from Beijing. The operation was seen as a response to the so-called “scamdemic”, where over 100,000 people — many Chinese — were trafficked and enslaved in scam centres across Southeast Asia.
While the Ming family’s downfall marks a major victory for Chinese authorities, scam operations have since shifted to other countries, including Cambodia and other parts of Myanmar.
This story is developing.
