Chinese National Arrested in Bali Over $14 Billion Investment Scam

Indonesian immigration authorities on the island of Bali have arrested a Chinese national wanted by Beijing for his involvement in a massive $14 billion investment scam, officials confirmed on Thursday.

The 39-year-old suspect, identified only by his initials, LQ, was apprehended on October 1 at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Singapore. His arrest was triggered when the airport’s biometric system flagged him as a suspect listed in an Interpol Red Notice, issued at the request of Chinese authorities in late September.

LQ had entered Bali on September 26, just one day before Interpol released the Red Notice. He used a Turkish passport under the alias Joe Lin. Immigration chief Silmy Karim from Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights said the arrest was the result of advanced technological systems and close cooperation between immigration and national police.

LQ is accused by Chinese authorities of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 50,000 victims of over 100 billion Chinese yuan (approximately $14 billion). Beijing had requested his detention via Interpol as part of their efforts to apprehend the suspect.

During a news conference in Jakarta, Indonesian authorities presented the suspect in a detainee’s uniform, though he did not make any statements.

Indonesian authorities are now working to verify whether LQ had legitimately obtained Turkish citizenship or if he used a falsified passport to enter the country. Krishna Murti, head of the National Police’s international division, said that the decision to extradite the suspect back to China would take time, as Indonesia must respect the suspect’s legal rights.

Indonesia, strategically located between Asia and the South Pacific, has increasingly become a transit hub for international criminal organizations. This arrest follows similar recent cases, including the capture of Alice Guo, a fugitive linked to Chinese criminal syndicates, and Chaowalit Thongduang, a Thai national involved in drug trafficking and killings.

Authorities lauded the capture of LQ, emphasizing the growing effectiveness of global law enforcement cooperation.