‎Philippines Convicts Former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo of Human Trafficking Linked to Chinese Crime Gangs

By: Shawn
‎The Pasig City Regional Trial Court sentenced former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to life in prison for human trafficking, marking the Philippines’ first successful prosecution of organized trafficking. Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas confirmed the conviction, which also includes a 2 million peso fine and forfeiture of Guo’s compound used in illegal operations.
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‎Former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo sentenced to life for human trafficking tied to Chinese organized crime and online scam operations in the Philippines.
‎Jam Sta Rosa/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images
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‎Alice Guo, elected in 2022 in Tarlac province, was investigated for her connections to Chinese organized crime gangs running online scams and human trafficking networks. Her fingerprints matched a Chinese national, Guo Hua Ping, raising questions about her eligibility for public office.
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‎Authorities discovered that Guo had leased a 20-acre property to Zun Yuan Technology, an online gambling company, and assisted with permits to operate an online casino. Police raids on the compound uncovered more than 800 foreign nationals conducting internet fraud operations.
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‎International authorities, including the United States and China, have recently increased efforts to disrupt billion-dollar scam centers in Southeast Asia. Criminal syndicates have trafficked tens of thousands of people to facilitate global online fraud schemes.
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‎Three other defendants linked to the operation were also sentenced to life in prison with fines of 2 million pesos each. Guo was arrested near Jakarta in September and extradited to the Philippines. Her legal team has yet to respond publicly.

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