Alleged ‘Pig Butchering’ Prince Group Kingpin Hu Shi Arrested in Japan

Cyprus National Tied To Prince Group Arrested successful Japan

Hu Shi, believed to beryllium 1 of the managers of Prince Group, an enactment that allegedly ran 1 of the largest “pig butchering” scam centers successful Cambodia, was arrested connected June 14 successful Japan.

Local reports indicate that Hu was arrested successful Osaka connected suspicion of falsifying nationalist records aft submitting a fraudulent code alteration signifier successful April, claiming helium had moved to Tokyo.

He stressed helium had made this alteration to get imperishable residency successful Japan, but stated helium near the details to his agent.

Japanese constabulary judge that Hu, a Cyprus national, is 1 of the individuals affected by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designations issued successful October 2025, erstwhile it labeled Prince Group arsenic a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) alongside 145 targets.

Huione Group, a Cambodian fiscal conglomerate, was besides targeted, with Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent stressing that it had established itself “as the marketplace of prime for malicious cyber actors similar the DPRK and transgression syndicates, who person stolen billions of dollars from mundane Americans.”

Ringleader of Prince Group, Chen Zhi, was indicted connected ligament fraud and wealth laundering conspiracy charges, with the Department of Justice launching a forfeiture enactment of 127,271 bitcoin worthy astir $15 billion.

At the time, it was the largest forfeiture enactment successful the department’s history.

While Chen was arrested successful Cambodia and extradited to China aft having his nationality stripped successful January, Hu was astatine ample earlier Japanese constabulary caught him successful information footage and searched for him successful respective luxury hotels successful Osaka.

According to records, Hu is simply a typical manager of a Tokyo-headquartered institution whose superior grew sixfold successful conscionable 3 years.

The measurement comes close aft FBI Director Kash Patel vowed to fortify the combat against pig butchering scams, stressing that helium would bring these criminals to justice.