Thai immigration police arrested Chinese national Duan Jianlei, nicknamed Boss Duan, at a luxury residential development in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, on February 19. Police said he was suspected of planning an investment scam involving 4.5 billion baht, approximately US$128 million, and was wanted by Chinese authorities.
According to the investigation, Duan allegedly established a fake digital-asset trading platform called BHE Exchange in 2024, issued cryptocurrencies without underlying value and attracted investors with promises of high returns. The estimated number of victims was as many as 20,000. After the platform closed and its funding chain collapsed, he fled abroad, entering Thailand later that year and repeatedly changing residences to evade investigators.
Thai immigration authorities arrested him after about a month of surveillance and close cooperation with Chinese law-enforcement agencies. His visa had been revoked, and he was in custody awaiting deportation to China to face fraud allegations. Thai authorities described the operation as an example of continuing bilateral cooperation against transnational online crime.
Compiled by the editorial team.
