China Executes 11 Members of Myanmar-Based ‘Ming Family’ Crime Syndicate

The Ming Family was part of the so-called “Four Families” syndicate in northern Myanmar. They were accused of running hundreds of online fraud, human trafficking, and drug production centers. Some members held important positions in local government and Myanmar’s ruling junta-affiliated militias.

State-run Xinhua reported that after being convicted of murder, illegal detention, and fraud, the 11 individuals received death sentences in September 2024. Two appealed to China’s Supreme People’s Court, which upheld the original verdict.

The syndicate was led by Ming Shuechang. The Koking-area compound “Crouching Tiger Villa” was central to their operations, employing around 10,000 people in multi-layered digital scams. Ming Shuechang committed suicide while in custody. His son Ming Guoping, leader of the junta-backed Koking border guard, and granddaughter Ming Zhenzhen were among the executed.

The Ming Family collaborated with another crime leader, Wu Hongming, causing the deaths of at least 14 Chinese citizens through murder, injury, and illegal detention.

According to the U.S.-based United States Institute of Peace, Southeast Asian syndicates extract over $43 billion annually through fraud. These operations exploited corruption, lawlessness, and Myanmar’s civil war over nearly five years.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said China would continue strict operations to eliminate gambling and fraud in the future.