Japan arrests suspected leader of major criminal group

Japanese police have arrested three people, including a man believed to be a senior executive of a Cambodia-based, Chinese-linked group designated by the United States and the United Kingdom as one of Asia’s largest criminal networks.

Police suspect the trio of submitting a falsified change-of-address notification in violation of laws prohibiting the creation and use of false electronic official records, Caliber.Az reports, citing Japan Today.

Sources said the man, identified as Hu Shi, is believed to hold an executive role in Prince Holding Group, which the US Treasury Department says is headquartered in Phnom Penh and has been linked to large-scale scam compounds operating in Cambodia.

Last year, the United States placed Prince Holding Group and its chairman, Chen Zhi — a Cambodian national of Chinese origin — on its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list.

Authorities allege the network lures individuals from multiple countries with fraudulent, high-paying job offers, then detains them and forces them into cross-border scams and other illegal activities.

Hu, who is also suspected of using multiple identities, including Chen Xiaoer, is a 44-year-old Chinese-born Cypriot national and was arrested on June 14.

The other two suspects are Li Yinhong, a 31-year-old Chinese male employee, and Hao Fengzhi, a 36-year-old Chinese woman.

Investigators allege that the three submitted a false residency notification to Tokyo’s Chuo Ward on April 20 and that Hu instructed Li to impersonate him during the process.

Hu reportedly told investigators he registered his address in Tokyo to obtain permanent residency in Japan and had an intermediary handle the procedure, according to sources. Li and Hao have denied the allegations.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov