Authorities in the Philippines have apprehended an alleged “kingpin” of crime-linked offshore gaming operators with suspected ties to dismissed mayor Alice Guo, who stands accused of collaborating with Chinese state security, in a move that could expose a broader web of crime and corruption.
Chinese national Lyu Dong was arrested on Thursday in Laguna province, just 40km south of Manila, by operatives from the military and the Bureau of Immigration, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz described Dong as the ‘kingpin’ of the Philippine offshore gaming operators.
Dong arrived in the Philippines in 2016 and allegedly built a network of scam farms through his offshore gaming operations on Luzon island. He is linked to Pogo firms Lucky South 99 and Hongsheng Gaming Technology, now Zun Yuan Technology, which have connections to Guo.
Guo was removed from her position as mayor of Bamban due to her involvement with the Pogo hub in her town, which was discovered to be engaging in illegal activities such as scams and human trafficking.