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Chinese National Convicted in Global Syndicate That Stole Data from Gambling Sites

 




A Chinese national has been convicted for his role in an international criminal syndicate involved in the theft and misuse of personal data from South Korean online gambling websites. Zhang Qingqiao, 39, pleaded guilty on September 26 to one charge of abetting others to obtain personal information without consent.

The case came to light following a major island-wide enforcement operation on September 9, 2024, involving over 160 officers from multiple police departments. During a raid on Zhang's residence on Cairnhill Road, authorities seized substantial evidence, including two iPhones, four thumb-drives, an Apple Watch, a hardware cryptocurrency wallet, and a significant sum of $465,000 in cash. The operation led to the arrest of six men believed to be part of a global cyber crime group.

Court documents revealed that Zhang was a key facilitator in the scheme. In July 2023, he created a WhatsApp group chat titled "Korea" with co-accused individuals, including Chinese national Sun Jiao, 42, and Singaporean Lee Kok Leong, 48. The purpose of the group was to coordinate the illegal acquisition and use of personal data. Zhang was aware that Sun could illegally obtain data of individuals registered with South Korean gambling sites and that another member, Clovis Leslie Lim, 36, could use this information to promote unlicensed online gambling operations.

Between late July and early August 2023, members of the group exchanged lists of South Korean gambling websites from which personal data, including email addresses and phone numbers, could be stolen. Zhang himself added two websites to this list. On August 12, 2023, the syndicate successfully obtained the illegally acquired personal data of 1,000 people. In March 2024, Zhang activated the disappearing message function on the WhatsApp group, deleting the chat history every 24 hours in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.

The prosecution sought a jail term of nine to twelve weeks, emphasizing the significant volume of data, the premeditated nature of the offences, and the connection to a wider syndicate. Zhang's defence lawyer argued for a fine, stating his client acted merely as a "connector" and derived no financial benefit. Zhang will be sentenced at a later date.

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Location: Singapore

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