China Sentences 11 to Death in Crackdown on 'Scam Kingpins'

A Chinese court has handed down death sentences to 11 members of the Ming family, a group that authorities say helped transform a quiet Myanmar border town into a center for gambling, drugs, and large-scale scams, the BBC reports. According to Chinese state media, the decision comes after dozens of the family's members were convicted of crimes ranging from telecommunications fraud and drug trafficking to operating illegal casinos and prostitution. CNN refers to them as "scam kingpins," noting the family is one of four in Myanmar that are similar to mafia-esque crime syndicates.

The Ming family's reported criminal enterprise, which operated out of Laukkai—a town bordering China—generated more than $1.4 billion through gambling and scam centers. Laukkai had become notorious as a regional hub for illicit activity, in part by catering to Chinese gamblers, who face restrictions at home. The United Nations has described the area as an epicenter of online fraud, with thousands lured or forced into running online scams targeting victims worldwide. Many of them were trafficked and then forced into romance-based scam work, the Guardian reports.

The court's ruling also cited the group's responsibility for the deaths of scam center workers, including an incident in which workers were shot to prevent their escape. The sentences handed out on Monday in Wenzhou included five additional death sentences with suspended execution, 11 life sentences, and various prison terms for the remaining family members.

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Myanmar authorities began cracking down on these crime clans in 2023, arresting and extraditing many to China. The Ming family's compound, known for violence and torture, once held as many as 10,000 workers. Their downfall followed a shift in local power after insurgent groups ousted Myanmar's military from parts of Shan State. With Beijing's pressure extending beyond its borders, authorities in neighboring countries have also targeted similar scam operations—though many have simply moved their base to Cambodia as enforcement intensifies.