On February 26, China’s Supreme People’s Court held a press briefing on telecom and online fraud and property crimes. From 2021 to 2025, courts nationwide concluded more than 159,000 telecom-fraud cases at first instance and sentenced more than 338,000 defendants. The article said growth in case and defendant numbers had slowed from 2023, with year-on-year growth dropping to 1.2 percent and 4.5 percent respectively in 2025, indicating progress in enforcement.
Courts continued strong action against cross-border fraud. By the end of 2025, they had concluded more than 27,000 cases linked to northern Myanmar at first instance. Among the widely discussed “four families,” the Ming and Bai criminal groups had been dismantled. Thirty-nine people received life imprisonment or more severe sentences; the court said 16 had been sentenced to death without reprieve, describing this as a signal of strict punishment.
The court also stressed cutting off criminal finances, increasing financial penalties and recovering illegal proceeds. It worked with relevant departments to improve legal mechanisms and target offences involving assistance to cybercrime, money laundering and related illicit supply chains. Ten consecutive years of judicial training and stronger public communication were intended to establish lasting, coordinated enforcement across the entire fraud chain.
KPS99TV compiled report.