Bitcoin

April

Security

Li Xiong, a key member of a group that helped crypto scam rings in Asia to move money, has been extradited from Cambodia to China, where he will face fraud and money-laundering charges, according to Hong Kong-based news outlet Ta Kung Wen Wei.
“On April 1, with strong support from the relevant authorities in Cambodia, a task force sent by China’s Ministry of Public Security successfully escorted Li Xiong, a core key member of the Chen Zhi criminal syndicate, back to China from Phnom Penh, Cambodia,” it <a href="https://www.tkww.hk/a/202604/01/AP69cc9cc9e4b04773b06a6c9b.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">said</a> on Wednesday, citing a statement from China’s Ministry of Public Security on WeChat.
Xiong previously served as chairman of Huione Group, an organization that served scam centers in Cambodia that carried out “pig butchering” frauds and other investment schemes to steal crypto from victims around the world.&nbsp;
Huione Group was responsible for one of the largest illicit online marketplaces in the world, <a href="https://www.elliptic.co/blog/huione-largest-ever-illicit-online-marketplace-stablecoin#:~:text=Elliptic%20Research,billion%20in%20cryptoassets%20to%20date." rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">handling</a> over $89 billion in crypto assets.
<figure><img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d4c1e-0b0e-7da9-b9c3-03f28249a32f.png" alt="Alleged Huione money-laundering boss extradited to China">
 <figcaption>Source: <a href="https://x.com/jacobincambodia/status/2039288129652441424" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Jacob in Cambodia</a>
 </figcaption>
</figure>
His extradition comes three months after the arrest of Chen Zhi, the head of Prince Group, which operates Huione Group. In October, it was reported that the <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-government-crypto-reserves-forfeiture-fraud-case" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">US Department of Justice seized</a> 127,271 Bitcoin (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BTC</a>) worth more than $15 billion from Zhi.
Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/hong-kong-retiree-loses-840k-triple-scam" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hong Kong retiree loses $840K in triple ‘crypto expert’ scam</a>
The US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network <a href="https://www.fincen.gov/news/news-releases/fincen-issues-final-rule-severing-huione-group-us-financial-system" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">directed</a> US banks to cut payments and accounts tied to the Huione Group in October.
<h2 id="authorities-ask-other-huione-members-to-surrender">Authorities ask other Huione members to surrender</h2>
Ta Kung Wen Wei noted that several other members of Zhi’s criminal syndicate have been brought to justice “one after another,” citing comments from Chinese public officials.
“Public security authorities will continue to intensify efforts to capture fugitives,” it said, adding:
“At the same time, they once again warn criminals to recognize the situation, stop before it is too late, surrender as soon as possible, and strive for lenient treatment.”
Magazine: <a href="https://cointelegraph-magazine.com/boyaa-bitcoin-expansion-south-korea-crypto-tax-doubt-asia-express/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Banks want to run Vietnam’s crypto exchanges, Boyaa’s $70M BTC plan</a>

Alleged Huione money-laundering boss extradited to China

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