Cambodia has deported Huione Group chairman Li Xiong to China following his arrest in Phnom Penh, as part of an ongoing cross-border fraud investigation, authorities said on April 1st.
In a statement, Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior said Li was detained at the request of Chinese authorities and handed over the same day for further legal proceedings, according to local media reports. The move follows months of joint investigations and close coordination between Cambodian and Chinese law enforcement agencies targeting transnational telecom fraud networks.
State-run broadcaster CCTV described Li as “a core member of Chen Zhi’s criminal gang,” pointing to the case’s links to broader organized fraud operations. Chen Zhi is one of the founders of Prince Group, which has been accused of large-scale investment fraud and money laundering.
The ministry added that Li’s Cambodian citizenship had been formally revoked under a royal decree issued on March 31st, clearing the way for his transfer.
Responding to the case, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on April 1st that cooperation between the two countries in combating cross-border telecom and online fraud had achieved “notable results,” adding that China would continue to strengthen law enforcement collaboration.
Li is chairman of Huione Group, which has been linked in multiple international investigations to illicit financial flows tied to online fraud operations across Southeast Asia. The group’s Huione Guarantee platform has been widely cited as facilitating fund transfers associated with scam networks.
The US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network designated Huione Group a “primary money-laundering concern”, citing more than $4 billion in illicit transactions processed between August 2021 and January 2025. The designation, made under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, effectively cuts the group off from the US financial system.
Investigations have also linked the group to funds derived from global investment scams and cryptocurrency theft, including proceeds associated with North Korean-linked hacking groups.
Separately, Cambodia’s central bank revoked the license of Huione Pay in March 2025 over anti-money laundering and compliance violations.
Huione Group has previously maintained that it provides legitimate payment and transfer services, though reports indicate it has increasingly shifted toward cryptocurrency-based transaction platforms.
