Authorities in Taiwan say they are investigating whether any Taiwanese citizens were involved in illegal activities. That is after the US sanctioned nine companies registered in Taiwan, alleging they are linked to the head of a Cambodia-based scam network, or his associates.
00:00Nine companies registered in Taiwan, most of them listing the building behind me here as their address, have been hit by U.S. sanctions.
00:07Washington says that they're linked to a Cambodia-based scam network that's been labeled as a transnational criminal organization.
00:14All but one of the companies are linked to the same person, and they're described as either investment or property services.
00:21Three Taiwanese individuals are also on the U.S. sanctions list.
00:24The U.S. Treasury says these companies are linked to the China-born head of Prince Holding Group, Chen Zhi, or his associates.
00:32It says the group manages scam centers that traffic people and force them to conduct cyber fraud, targeting victims around the world and laundering billions of dollars.
00:41Now, both the U.S. and the U.K. have slapped sanctions on that network, and what is the biggest action yet against cybercrime rings in Southeast Asia?
00:49But the U.S. is listing Taiwan as being home to some of the group's offshore hubs and shell companies.
00:55And Taiwanese law enforcement authorities say they are investigating whether Taiwanese citizens were involved in money laundering or other illegal activities.
01:03The National Police Agency here told Taiwan Plus it's asked the FBI to share information needed for their investigation.
01:09But these are not the only connections the network appears to have to Taiwan.
01:13Some local media are reporting its leader, Chen Zhi, once lived in Taiwan and entered the country at least 10 times.
01:20But Taiwan's immigration agency could not confirm this.
01:23When asked for information on the crackdown, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which manages relations with China, said this.
01:29Yet it's still unclear whether these people are related to the network.
01:55Cybercrime in Southeast Asia has become a major issue, affecting people from all walks of life across the world.
02:02And as more countries crack down on these scam networks, Taiwan's also trying to close any loopholes that could allow criminals to exploit others.
02:10Scott Huang and Cadence Caranta for Taiwan Plus.
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