Border police in Montenegro have arrested the alleged kingpin of a $2.3bn illegal online gambling operation that targeted people in China. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Border police in Montenegro have arrested the alleged kingpin of a multi-billion dollar fraudulent online gambling scheme. They detained Wang Shuiming as he arrived in the country on a private jet from the Maldives. The authorities apprehended the 42-year-old based on a China-issued Interpol Red Notice.

will likely face extradition to China where he will answer for fraud and financial-related charges

They discovered the fugitive after routine border check, at a time when Montenegro is clamping down on cross-border crime. He will likely face extradition to China where he will answer for fraud and financial-related charges.

The Chinese authorities have been attempting to prosecute Wang for several years. He was allegedly the leader of an illegal online betting site targeting people in China, accepting big stakes and helping facilitate significant money laundering.

The authorities in Singapore seized about $2.3bn worth of assets in August 2023 from a criminal group that included Wang. It was the country’s biggest-ever money laundering case, and Wang served about two-thirds of a 13-month prison sentence before his deportation to Japan on June 1. He forfeited approximately $180m in personal assets, which included vehicles, luxury items, and properties.