The mysterious owner of a 'scam empire' accused of stealing $14bn in crypto
52 minutes ago Share Save Jonathan Head South East Asia correspondent Share Save
Prince Group/Getty images
Just 37 years old, Chen Zhi is accused of being "the mastermind behind a sprawling cyber-fraud empire… a criminal enterprise built on human suffering". With his wispy goatee beard and baby-faced features, he looks even younger than he is. He has certainly become very wealthy, very quickly. Last week the US Department of Justice charged him with running scam compounds in Cambodia that stole billions in cryptocurrency from victims all over the world. The US Treasury Department has confiscated more than $14bn (£10.5bn) worth of bitcoin that it says is linked to him - it said this was the largest ever crypto-currency seizure. His own company, the Cambodian Prince Group, describes him on its website as "a respected entrepreneur and renowned philanthropist" whose "vision and leadership have transformed Prince Group into a leading business group in Cambodia that adheres to international standards". The BBC has contacted the Prince Group for comment. So, how much do we know about Chen Zhi, the mysterious figure allegedly running a scam empire?
A startling rise
Brought up in Fujian province in south-eastern China, he started with a sm
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