BANGKOK – Thai immigration police say they’ve arrested Jack Yang, a Chinese suspect they describe as a “Top Tier” boss in an international scam network operating throughout Asia.
Immigration police believe Yang tried to stay ahead of fraud charges by changing both his name and nationality. Authorities say he travelled on a passport from the Dominican Republic, linked to cases that caused losses of more than 800 million baht.
Investigators from Immigration Division 3 said they received a tip that a key suspect tied to a transnational criminal group had been living in a housing estate in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, since late 2025.
Police later identified the man as Yang You, 41, a Chinese national they labelled a Tier 1 scammer within the syndicate.
Authorities said that as online scams grew quickly across the region in 2022, Yang’s name started appearing in major fraud cases in China. Those cases reportedly led to heavy losses for Chinese victims.
Police also said 320 people linked to the wider Yang network had been arrested in other investigations. Many of those suspects reportedly pointed to Yang as the main organiser. The group was believed to have operated out of Mindanao in the Philippines.
According to police, the scam method was simple. The group sent messages that pushed victims to download online gambling apps.
Victims were urged to deposit money and buy in-app coins. At first, they were allowed to withdraw small profits, which helped build trust. Once they invested larger amounts, the app would be shut down and the funds taken.
Authorities said more than 600 victims were affected, with total losses estimated at close to 900 million baht.
Because of his alleged role, Yang was placed on wanted lists linked to Interpol and several law enforcement agencies, police said. He is believed to have avoided arrest by international, Chinese, and Philippine authorities for years.
Thai investigators said they worked with overseas counterparts and used facial recognition and intelligence checks. On Monday, they concluded the man arrested in Chon Buri was the same person as “Jack Yang”, a Dominican national who had entered Thailand as a tourist after changing his identity.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly denied he was the person named in an international warrant. Police said they revoked his permission to remain in Thailand and took him into custody for further legal action.
