Pattaya Police Capture Interpol Fugitive: Crypto Kingpin Arrested
A raid on a luxury pool villa in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, exposed a complex international criminal network involving a cryptocurrency investment scam, an Interpol fugitive, and a network of Thai money mules.
On March 19, 2025, Thailand’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), also known as the Cyber Police, targeted Ms. Di Wu, a 27-year-old Chinese national suspected of orchestrating a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded victims of 18.4 million USDT (approximately $618 million USD). The discovery of her boyfriend, 29-year-old Zhou Zongyon, hiding in the same villa, added a significant twist to the investigation.
Zhou, far from an innocent bystander, lacked entry and exit stamps in his passport. He confessed to illegally entering Thailand via the Cambodian border. Collaboration with the Chinese Embassy revealed that Zhou was an Interpol fugitive wanted for the kidnapping of a Chinese woman in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. He allegedly sent images of the tortured victim to her family, demanding a 1 million yuan (approximately $138,000 USD) ransom and threatening her life. The victim’s whereabouts remain unknown. Further investigation linked Zhou to money laundering for international call center scam networks.
The cryptocurrency scam, launched in April 2024, targeted unsuspecting individuals on social media platforms like Facebook and LINE. One victim, a Thai teacher, invested 1.5 million baht ($44,400 USD) in a purported “Singapore fund” via the M-DAQP application. After initial small withdrawals created a false sense of security, larger withdrawals became impossible. She ultimately lost 1,442,100 baht ($42,690 USD).
The Cyber Police traced the funds to a network of four Thai money mules who received baht transfers from victims, converting them to USDT cryptocurrency through peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions on Binance and other Thai digital asset exchanges. The cryptocurrency was then transferred to Ms. Wu’s digital wallet. Three money mules have been apprehended; one remains at large.
The villa raid yielded further evidence: passports used to register cryptocurrency accounts; mobile phones containing images of a lavish Cambodian lifestyle—luxury cars, cash, and evidence of drug use; and travel records documenting Ms. Wu’s frequent trips between Thailand, Malaysia, and China. Ms. Wu maintains her innocence, claiming her ex-boyfriend misused her information for money laundering, attributing her international travel to online concert ticket sales.
Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwphan, Commander of the TCSD, stated that both Chinese nationals will face legal proceedings in Thailand before extradition to China. The Cyber Police continue their investigation to identify remaining accomplices and dismantle the criminal operation. This case underscores the growing threat of transnational cybercrime and the importance of international cooperation. It also highlights the need for increased public awareness and education about the risks of online investments and sophisticated scams.
