Singaporean authorities have identified 17 additional individuals linked to a vast money laundering operation that funneled billions from illegal gambling and cybercrime. Leased records indicate that three of these suspects invested at least $28 million in Dubai real estate, a city known for attracting illicit funds globally.
The investigation, which previously resulted in convictions for 10 syndicate members following a massive 2023 police sweep, has already seen over $1.32 billion seized in cash, cryptocurrencies, and luxury goods. Past reporting revealed that some convicted members purchased nearly $60 million in London properties and around $30 million in Dubai holdings.
Newly obtained data highlights three suspects—Wang Bingang, Chen Zhiqiang, and Ke Wendi—who are Chinese nationals. Like many convicted syndicate members, Chen and Ke acquired Cambodian citizenship. The data shows they bought at least 22 properties in Dubai, valued at about $28 million, between 2021 and 2023, when the ring was active.
Wang Bingang, once convicted in China for leading a gambling syndicate called Hongli, spent over $14 million in 2023 on five adjacent units in Seapoint Tower, a skyscraper facing Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah. Chen Zhiqiang purchased units in Wilton Park Residences and other properties in Mohammed Bin Rashid City, totaling $13 million. Ke Wendi, wanted in China for illegal gambling, spent $1 million on a unit in Grande Downtown Dubai, where other syndicate members bought entire floors.
The whereabouts of the three suspects are unknown, and attempts to contact them were unsuccessful. Singaporean police report they have dealt with 15 of the 17 new suspects, barring them from returning to the country. These individuals agreed to surrender an additional $1.37 billion in assets within Singapore, beyond the $1.32 billion already confiscated. Authorities did not confirm if they sought help from the UAE to seize the Dubai properties.