Scammed, sold, saved: Guizhou man's ordeal in Myanmar fraud ring ends with jail time

A man from Guizhou province has been sentenced to two years in prison after his family paid a 460,000 yuan ($64,000) ransom to secure his release from a fraud base in Myanmar.

According to the Taijiang County People's Court in Guizhou, the man surnamed Yang was enticed by the promise of a "high salary" and illegally crossed the border into Myanmar in July 2020.

However, upon arrival, he found himself trapped in telecom fraud operations, engaging in activities such as nude chatting and investment scams to deceive Chinese citizens and facilitate fund transfers. Yang provided his own bank account and contacted others to provide accounts for the transfer of fraudulent funds.

He was sold several times to different criminal gangs during his stay in the country, the court was told.

Faced with physical abuse, insults, and personal restrictions, Yang sought ways to contact his family, who paid 460,000 yuan for his rescue in June 2023.

Yang returned to China on July 12 and surrendered to authorities.

After trial, the court found him guilty of fraud for receiving and transferring over 200,000 yuan in fraudulent funds at overseas fraud bases.

Considering Yang's confession, repentance, and surrender, the court sentenced him to two years in prison and imposed a 10,000 yuan fine.

Telecom and online fraud activities targeting Chinese citizens in northern Myanmar have led to increased cooperation between the two countries' authorities to dismantle major fraud operations.