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China executes 11 members of notorious scam syndicate
Chinese authorities have carried out the executions of 11 members of the Ming family, a powerful crime clan that operated fraud and gambling networks in Myanmar's Laukkaing region, state media confirmed on Thursday.
Crimes and sentencing
The Ming family members were convicted in September by a court in Zhejiang province on charges including homicide, unlawful detention, fraud, and running illegal gambling dens. Their appeals were rejected by China's highest court in November.
According to judicial records, the syndicate's operations generated over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) between 2015 and 2023, resulting in the deaths of 14 Chinese nationals and injuries to many others.
Rise and fall of a criminal empire
The Mings were among several dominant families that transformed Laukkaing-a once-poor border town-into a hub of casinos and brothels. Their downfall began in 2023 when ethnic militias seized control of the area during clashes with Myanmar's military and handed the clan over to Chinese authorities.
Ming Xuechang, the family's patriarch, died by suicide in 2023 while evading arrest, according to Myanmar's military. His sprawling compound, Crouching Tiger Villa, was notorious for forced labor, torture, and online scams targeting Chinese victims.
Broader crackdown on scam networks
China's executions signal a hardline stance against transnational fraud, though experts note the industry has shifted to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand's border with Myanmar, where Beijing's influence is limited.
The United Nations estimates hundreds of thousands of people-including thousands of Chinese nationals-have been trafficked into scam operations across Southeast Asia. Most victims of these schemes are Chinese citizens.
Ongoing trials and regional tensions
Five members of the Bai family were also sentenced to death in November, while trials for the Wei and Liu families remain pending. The Ming case was largely closed to the public, though over 160 people, including victims' relatives, attended the sentencing hearing.
Frustrated by Myanmar's military's inaction against scam networks-allegedly profiting from them-China tacitly supported an ethnic insurgent offensive in late 2023 that captured Laukkaing and other key areas.
Legacy of violence and exploitation
Testimonies from freed workers describe routine beatings and torture within the Ming compounds. Initially focused on gambling and prostitution, the family pivoted to online fraud as demand surged, relying on trafficked labor.
Their rise followed the 2000s ousting of Laukkaing's former warlord by Min Aung Hlaing, who later became Myanmar's junta leader after the 2021 coup.
