On January 13, Thai police arrested a 41-year-old wanted Chinese man known as “Jack Yang” in Chonburi province. Police said he was a leading figure in a transnational telecom-fraud group and had long hidden in the Philippines, operating fake gambling apps to entice victims to place bets before closing the platforms and fleeing with their money. The case reportedly involved more than 600 victims. Daily News reported on January 13 that the losses exceeded THB800 million and were nearly THB900 million.
Further investigation identified the suspect as a man surnamed Yang, described as one of the highest-ranking fraud commanders in a transnational criminal organisation and a principal offender in several major online-fraud cases in China that caused huge losses to Chinese people. More than 320 arrested suspects reportedly named Yang in their statements as the mastermind and identified the Philippines as his main operational and command base.
Investigators said Jack Yang entered Thailand at the end of 2025 using a Dominican passport in an attempt to evade arrest. During initial questioning, he denied being the internationally wanted Chinese suspect surnamed Yang. Thai authorities have revoked his permission to stay and are preparing to deport him to China to face judicial proceedings.
