Japan Arrests Senior Prince Group Figure As Global Authorities Intensify Crackdown On Crypto Fraud Networks

Japanese authorities have arrested a senior figure linked to the Cambodia-based Prince Group, an international network that U.S. officials have accused of operating large-scale online investment fraud schemes targeting victims across multiple countries.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police detained Hu Xiaowei, also known as Hu Shi, a 44-year-old Cypriot national, on allegations of submitting false residency registration documents in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward in April 2026. While the initial charge is related to an administrative violation, Japanese authorities reportedly used the case as a basis to secure his detention while investigating his alleged role within the organization. Police sources indicated that Hu was considered a senior member of the group and was identified after investigators tracked his movements through surveillance footage from luxury hotels in Osaka before his arrest.

International Crackdown Targets Prince Group’s Crypto Fraud Network

The Prince Group has been identified by U.S. authorities as a major organization involved in global online investment scams, including so-called “pig-butchering” schemes. These operations typically involve building relationships with victims before directing them toward fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms designed to steal funds.

In October 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department and Department of Justice announced sanctions against 146 individuals and entities associated with the Prince Group, with Hu reportedly included under the alias “Chen Xiaoe.” Authorities have alleged that the network operated from Cambodia through large-scale call center facilities, where trafficked workers were forced to conduct fraudulent activities targeting international victims.

The group’s chairman had previously been detained by Cambodian authorities and later extradited to China, while Hu’s location remained unknown until Japanese investigators located him. Reports indicate that Hu had established a business presence in Japan, including a Tokyo-based trading company founded in 2023. Corporate records show the company’s registered capital increased significantly by March 2026, with listed addresses linked to London, Tokyo’s Minami-Aoyama district, Osaka Prefecture, and eventually Chuo Ward, where the disputed residency registration was filed.

Two Chinese nationals who allegedly assisted with submitting the false registration documents were also reportedly arrested.

The detention represents a further step in international efforts to disrupt crypto-related fraud networks operating across borders. Following financial restrictions imposed by U.S. authorities against entities connected to Prince Group, Japan’s investigation into a suspected senior figure highlights increasing cooperation between jurisdictions targeting individuals accused of supporting large-scale cryptocurrency scam operations.

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