150亿美元比特币被抄！亚洲最大跨国电诈 “话事人”逃亡

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the significant legal actions taken by the U.S. Department of Justice against Chen Zhi, the founder of the Prince Group in Cambodia, for telecommunications fraud and money laundering, highlighting the scale of the operation and its implications for global crime networks [2][22]. Group 1: Criminal Activities - Chen Zhi is accused of leading Asia's largest transnational crime organization, using a facade of legitimate business operations to cover up extensive fraud activities [6][7]. - The operation involved "phone farms" with 1,250 mobile devices and 76,000 social media accounts used to perpetrate scams, targeting victims through emotional manipulation [9][12]. - The criminal network is described as a combination of modern slavery and high-tech fraud, with hundreds of individuals reportedly trafficked and forced into labor within scam operations [16][18]. Group 2: Financial Implications - The U.S. authorities seized approximately 127,271 bitcoins, valued at around $15 billion, marking the largest asset forfeiture in the department's history [2][22]. - The financial operations included sophisticated money laundering techniques, with millions of dollars funneled through various accounts to evade detection [15][21]. - The U.S. Treasury reported that losses from online investment scams have exceeded $16.6 billion in recent years, with a projected $10 billion loss in 2024 alone, indicating a 66% increase from the previous year [26]. Group 3: Legal Actions and Consequences - The U.S. government has frozen the assets of 146 individuals and entities associated with the Prince Group, effectively cutting off their financial resources in the U.S. [25][26]. - Chen Zhi faces potential charges that could lead to a maximum sentence of 40 years if convicted of telecommunications fraud and money laundering [28]. - The U.K. has also taken action by freezing 19 properties owned by Chen Zhi in London, valued at over £10 million, reflecting international cooperation in combating such crimes [26][27].