Chinese nationals nabbed over fraud

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday revealed that four Chinese nationals wanted for fraud, illegal business and concealment of crime related to income were arrested by law enforcement recently.

Reports said that the Chinese nationals have been detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City following their arrest by Metro Manila police.

In a statement, the BI said that the Chinese nationals were among the foreigners arrested by the police during a raid of a suspected cryptocurrency investment and love scam hub in Parañaque City last 22 August 2024.

The raided establishment was allegedly posing as a licensed offshore gaming operator to hide its illegal activities.

It added that two other fugitive foreigners were arrested in separate operations by the immigration.

To recall, a Taiwanese man was arrested on 5 September based on a 2005 rape warrant issued by a Taiwan court. Immigration authorities also discovered he had been overstaying in the Philippines for over 20 years.

Last 8 September, a Chinese national wanted by the Chinese government and Interpol was arrested in Parañaque City for illegal control of computer information systems, which violates Article 285 of China’s criminal law.

He allegedly headed an online criminal group that had designed a computer virus that obtained the personal information of its victims for use in fraud activities, said the immigration.

“The syndicate was said to have illegally hacked and remotely controlled around 4,200 computers in China amounting to over CNY 7 Million worth of ill-gotten profits since 2023,” it said.

All six foreigners remained in the BI’s holding facility in Taguig pending their deportation.