In a bid to protect its citizens from human trafficking and cyber scams, South Korea imposed sanctions today on 132 entities and 15 people it said were part of a criminal network based in Cambodia.
The government said in a statement that these were its “first-ever autonomous sanctions targeting transnational crime.”
The list of sanctioned entities and individuals largely replicated actions by the U.S. and U.K., which together announced a sanctions package last month targeting the “Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organization.”
“Among those designated are individuals and entities connected to the Prince Group, which developed and operated massive scam compounds… where numerous Korean victims were confined,” the government said.
Also among those sanctioned were “a key suspect involved in the assault, confinement, and death of a Korean university student,” the government added, without saying who the suspect was.
The list of sanctioned individuals included Chen Xiao’er, a China-born businessman with a passport from Saint Kitts and Nevis. OCCRP reported this week that Chen Xiao’er changed the name on that passport to Wu An Ming, and owns a business empire under his current identity that includes international companies and U.K. properties.
Chen Xiao’er was sanctioned by the U.S. but not the U.K. His assistant told OCCRP he was fighting the sanctions, which were wrongly imposed because of a resort he was developing in Palau along with the head of the Prince Group.
South Korea’s list did not include some other alleged Prince Group members sanctioned by the U.S., including Zhu Zhongbiao, chairman of Jinbei Group, which allegedly operated the conglomerate’s most notorious scam hubs.
OCCRP recently reported that Zhu Zhongbiao purchased at least 29 prestige properties in Dubai, while his wife bought five luxury apartments in London. Zhu Zhongbiao did not reply to requests for comment at the time.
The Prince Group has denied any involvement in illegal activity, saying in a November 11 statement: “The recent allegations are baseless and appear aimed at justifying the unlawful seizure of assets worth billions of dollars.”