Chen Zhi: Billion Dollar Pigs and the Fall of a Scam Empire

Chen Zhi rose to prominence as a powerful Chinese-born businessman and chairman of the Prince Holding Group, building a vast empire spanning banking, real estate, and finance in Cambodia. Once publicly celebrated as a philanthropist and influential political advisor, he cultivated an image of success and legitimacy across the region.But according to U.S. and UK government indictments and investigative reporting, that image concealed something far more sinister. Authorities allege that Chen Zhi masterminded a sprawling transnational criminal network operating forced-labor scam compounds across Southeast Asia, specializing in large-scale cryptocurrency fraud and “pig butchering” schemes that defrauded victims worldwide of billions of dollars. As international pressure mounted, investigators reportedly linked his conglomerate to massive money laundering operations and human trafficking networks hidden behind legitimate business fronts. Following sweeping sanctions and the seizure of approximately $15 billion in Bitcoin tied to the operation, Chen Zhi was stripped of his Cambodian citizenship and extradited to China in early 2026 — marking a dramatic downfall from elite power broker to accused architect of one of the largest alleged scam operations in modern history.New episodes every Monday.Some monsters don’t hide in the shadows — they hide in plain sight.Listen now on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fugitive-files/id1896535256Stay alert. Stay aware.