Trial Verdict Delivered in Myanmar’s Northern “Xu Laofa” Crime Syndicate Case, Involving Over 3,400 Fraud Incidents and More Than RMB 1.1 Billion

IT Home reported on January 30 that the Fifth Intermediate People’s Court of Chongqing has delivered its first-instance verdict in the case involving the criminal syndicate led by Xu Faqi, also known as “Xu Laofa.”

The court sentenced Xu Faqi to death with a two-year reprieve. Co-defendant Zhang Longlong received a life sentence. Luo Yujun, Xi Kangqiang, and Liu Shibing were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment ranging from 25 years to 14 years, alongside additional penalties including confiscation of property and fines.

According to the court’s findings, the group had operated since 2019, with Xu Faqi identified as the principal figure and Luo Yujun and others playing key roles. Leveraging Xu’s influence in Myanmar’s Kokang region, the syndicate allegedly collaborated with telecom and online fraud networks to develop and run multiple scam compounds, generating more than RMB 1.1 billion in illicit proceeds.

The court also found that, during the group’s armed “protection” of these operations, it collaborated with fraud rings to commit intentional assault against individuals who resisted management, resulting in one death and another injury. In addition, Xu Faqi was found to have participated in other crimes, including smuggling and drug trafficking.

The Fifth Intermediate People’s Court of Chongqing stated that the defendants’ conduct constituted multiple offenses, including fraud, intentional assault, and smuggling and trafficking of drugs, among others. The verdicts were issued based on the facts established at trial, the nature and circumstances of the crimes, and their broader social harm.

More than 20 observers—including representatives from the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, family members of involved parties, and members of the public—attended the sentencing hearing.

The case was previously tried in open court from September 17 to 19, 2025. Prosecutors alleged the syndicate was involved in a range of crimes such as fraud, intentional assault, unlawful detention, and extortion, tied to more than 3,400 fraud cases and losses exceeding RMB 1.1 billion.

In a related update, China’s Ministry of Public Security said in October 2025 that since the launch of a special campaign targeting crimes in northern Myanmar affecting Chinese victims, China and Myanmar have strengthened law enforcement cooperation. Authorities reported the arrest of more than 57,000 Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in telecom fraud, and said major criminal groups in the Kokang area had been dealt a “devastating blow.”

IT Home also reported on January 29 that 11 offenders in a separate case involving the Ming family criminal group in northern Myanmar had been executed.