Chinese National Arrested as Mastermind of International Job Scam

A Chinese national has been apprehended as the mastermind behind a criminal gang involved in luring Nepalese citizens with enticing job offers and subsequently engaging them in fraudulent activities to countries in Southeast Asia, including Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Liang Jun, who also says himself as “Johnson,” hails from China’s Kansu Province. Liang Chan was apprehended by the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Prasad Pangeni of the bureau revealed that the arrest took place following a complaint lodged by one of the victims. Liang Jun is believed to be the main orchestrator of the gang, which exploits Nepali individuals abroad for fraudulent and illegal activities.

Investigations have unveiled the modus operandi of the gang, which involves luring Nepali citizens to foreign countries under the pretense of attractive job opportunities. Once in their clutches, the victims are subjected to physical and mental abuse and coerced into engaging in fraudulent activities.

The gang transported a female victim from Nepal to Thailand on July 25, 2022, promising her a computer typing job. However, upon arrival, she was forcibly taken to an undisclosed company in Myanmar, where her passport and mobile phone were confiscated, effectively holding her hostage.

The victim reported enduring grueling working conditions, being forced to work 18 to 20 hours a day in an illegal online fraud operation, while also suffering physical and mental torment and severe labor exploitation.

When the victim fell ill and attempted to return to Nepal, the gang demanded a ransom. Only after paying the demanded sum was the victim allowed to return home, subsequently filing a complaint with the police.

This incident highlights the escalating involvement of Chinese nationals in criminal activities within Nepal. Aside from engaging in illicit practices such as hacking banking systems and perpetrating scams through social networks, Chinese citizens are also active in heinous crimes like human trafficking.

Chinese companies are luring unemployed youth from countries like Nepal with appealing job prospects in destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Dubai, only to exploit them for online scams that primarily target individuals from America and Europe.

According to the police, Nepalis also play the role of helpers in such activities. Earlier, two Nepalis who played the role of accomplices were arrested by police based on the separate complaint given by the man.

Those arrested were 25-year-old Padam Nepali from Kalikot and 38-year-old Shyam Kumar Tamang from Nuwakot.

On November 22, 2022, the two men were send from Kathmandu to Kolkata, passing through Thailand towards the Golden Triangle in Laos, where they were taken hostage in a special economic zone.

It has been revealed that the two hostages were forced to invest in crypto-currencies and stocks through online fraud, traps.

According to the police, additional investigation has been started against the arrested persons from the Kathmandu District Court with a deadline of 5 days.

The victims were returned to Nepal after about 5 months with the help of the consular office in Laos.

The occurrence of criminal activities involving Chinese citizens has witnessed a concerning rise in Nepal. Notably, Chinese nationals have been implicated in a range of illegal endeavors, including the misuse of technology to hack banking systems and utilizing various social networks to perpetrate scams and defraud unsuspecting individuals. Alarmingly, recent investigations have uncovered their involvement in heinous crimes, such as human trafficking.

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