Hundreds of law-enforcement agents burst into a large walled enclave in the middle of this town 60 miles northwest of Manila. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary cluster of buildings—shops, offices, homes—but in fact, it was a crime den from which Chinese gangs ran scams called pig butchering, swindling Americans and others around the world out of millions of dollars.
The police hadn't warned anyone in local government, suspecting that most of them were in cahoots with the criminals. What they didn't know was that the town's popular young mayor, Alice Guo, was a key architect of the brazen enterprise. Investigations later showed how she charmed her way to wealth and power and used that to open up her town of 78,000 people to thugs and thieves.
Philippine investigators say Guo, who they believe is 34 years old, owned the land on which the scam den was built, co-founded the firm that managed it and was complicit in the illegal activity it hosted. With her explicit support, they say, gangsters set up operations there for thousands of scammers to ensnare victims online.
The fraud is called pig butchering because scammers "fatten" up their targets by entangling them in romantic relationships online, convince them to invest in bogus financial schemes, then "butcher" them by disappearing with their money. U.S. officials say the scams often target elderly American citizens, and are difficult to monitor and trace.
The March raid set off a dizzying spiral of events that led Guo to flee the Philippines. A weekslong multinational manhunt ensued, ending with a late-night bust in September when Guo was found hiding behind a door in an apartment near the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Video shows her asking for permission to change out of her pink pajamas before police took her away.
She is now in jail awaiting trial on half a dozen charges, including human trafficking and corruption, and is being investigated in more crimes.
Denne historien er fra December 26, 2024-utgaven av Mint Ahmedabad.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 26, 2024-utgaven av Mint Ahmedabad.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Perks of Reflection and Daily Me-Time
Introspection helps one think more clearly, says Spinny CEO Niraj Singh
It's your touch that will push an AI co-worker to do better
AI agents help break down silos and improve decision-making and collaboration, but it's people who can leverage their benefits
Hiring Is Just The First Step Towards Inclusion
Persons with disabilities and those from marginalized groups need mentors and a supportive environment to grow in their careers
Budget: It must aim to engineer India's economic transformation
The target of Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires the budget to balance immediate challenges with long-term development goals
The Digital Data Protection rules have hits and misses
Some provisions can set a global example for age-gating but others would overburden data fiduciaries
The 'Asian Aunty' Is Smashing Ageist and Gender Stereotypes
'Aunty' leaders are tackling a widely normalized form of 'othering'
Public debt: Do not let it eclipse the fiscal deficit
The Centre's plan to adopt debt as its new focus for budget prudence after 2025-26 does hold merit but we must not lose track of the fiscal gap. It'll remain a valuable economic indicator
Longevity Is Usually A Reward For Being Unspectacular
Careers That Endure Are Typically Not Spectacular. This Is So In Politics As Well As Other Fields
Get public-private partnerships right for target-oriented growth
The UK's new government should engage the private sector with deals that achieve public objectives
How to Use Home Loan Interest as Acquisition Cost
With reasonable housing loan interest rates, many taxpayers use loans for residential property purchases.
