Chen Zhi, accused as the mastermind behind a scam network in Cambodia, has been charged by China with intentional assault, punishable by 10 years imprisonment up to the death penalty.
On Monday, 27 Jul 2026 GMT+7, China's business magazine Caixin reported that 38-year-old Chen Zhi, alleged mastermind of a large scam network in Cambodia, could face the death penalty after Chinese prosecutors added intentional assault charges to his indictment.
According to Caixin, prosecutors dropped the original charge of concealing assets obtained from criminal activities but added charges of copyright infringement and intentional assault.
Under Chinese criminal law, intentionally causing serious injury or death through especially cruel methods carries a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and may lead to the death penalty.
Chen Zhi founded Prince Group, a conglomerate linked by authorities to a large online scam network in Cambodia. He was extradited from Cambodia to China six months ago and formally arrested on 6 Jul 2026 GMT+7.
Chen is also wanted by U.S. prosecutors for operating one of Asia's largest transnational criminal organizations. The U.S. Treasury designated Prince Group as a “transnational criminal organization” in October 2025.
Besides Chen, two senior executives—Liu Ren, founder of Jinbei Group, and Li Song, former chairman of Huione Group, subsidiaries of Prince Group—were extradited to China and face multiple charges including unlawful detention and intentional assault.
Liu was extradited from Cambodia in June, accused of running multiple online gambling platforms under the Jinbei brand and luring Chinese citizens to gamble. Li was extradited in April.
Japan's Kyodo News reported that Hu Si, believed to be Prince Group’s second-in-command, was arrested in Japan in June on forgery charges. He is suspected of using multiple aliases, including Chen Xiaoer and Hu Xiaowei, and is a 44-year-old Chinese Cypriot.
Hu was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in June, described as Chen’s “big brother,” and remains in custody in Japan.
The U.S. Treasury stated Hu established Prince Group subsidiaries outside Cambodia spanning over 30 countries, playing roles in the group’s international real estate and financial services activities.
In May, Hong Kong courts froze real estate and assets worth over HK$9 billion held by Hu’s companies and associates.
A week later, Cambodian authorities raided two buildings in the Prince Central Plaza project in Phnom Penh linked to Chen, detaining 104 individuals, including 82 Chinese nationals.
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Source:cna