According to Cambodian authorities, Li Xiong was arrested in Cambodia and deported at the request of Chinese authorities. He is linked to an accused scam center kingpin, Chen Zhi, who was extradited in January, and was identified as "a core member of Chen Zhi's criminal gang" in a report by state-run CCTV.

Chinese state media CCTV reported that Li Xiong, the former chairman of Huione Group under Prince Group, is suspected of multiple crimes. This group is accused of directing operations of forced labor compounds across Cambodia. Cambodian officials confirmed his extradition to China.

Both Chen Zhi and Li Xiong held Cambodian citizenship, which was later revoked by the Cambodian government. Chen Zhi had served as an adviser to both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, former leader Hun Sen, leading to claims of government collusion with criminal networks. Hun Manet told AFP in February that the government "did not know that he was the kingpin," rejecting such allegations.

In 2025, the United States regime alleged that Prince Group had served as a front for "one of Asia's largest transnational criminal organizations." Rights groups say Cambodia hosts dozens of scam centers with tens of thousands of people perpetrating online scams. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that "combating online gambling and telecoms fraud is the shared responsibility of the global community."

Source: www.dw.com