Philippine Aseana 3 (Magic Cube) POGO company raided, 20 Chinese arrested!

The National Bureau of Investigation Special Task Force (NBI-STF) in the Philippines, under the direct command of Director Jaime B. Santiago, Ret., recently raided a POGO company "LWE" located at Aseana 3 in Parañaque City, successfully arresting 20 foreign suspects involved in crimes such as illegal detention and financial fraud.

Case Origin: A Chinese woman reported her husband was illegally detained

The operation was triggered by a complaint from a Chinese woman to the NBI, stating that her husband, who worked as a Customer Service Representative (CSR) at the "LWE" POGO company, was illegally detained by his employer and unable to leave freely.

According to the complaint, the company's office is located at 8912 West Tower Aseana 3, Parañaque City.

February 25, 2025, Philippine NBI raids Aseana 3

On February 25, NBI-STF raided the company, successfully rescuing the detained victims and arresting the main suspect, Liu Zhitao (also known as "Ren Jia").

Liu Zhitao, in addition to being suspected of illegal detention, is also charged with violating Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) (serious illegal detention), facing more severe legal responsibilities.

The company is suspected of financial fraud, NBI finds evidence on site

During the raid, NBI-STF discovered that the company was not only involved in illegal detention but also operated a complete online scam center, mainly engaging in financial fraud and cyber fraud.

Multiple foreigners were found engaging in fraudulent activities involving financial accounts on site.

NBI arrested 20 suspects on the spot and transferred them to the Parañaque City Prosecutor's Office for investigation, citing violations of the Anti-Financial Account Fraud Act (R.A. No. 12010) and the 2012 Cybercrime Prevention Act (R.A. No. 10175).

Philippine government intensifies crackdown on illegal POGO activities

NBI Director Santiago praised the operation for its swift and efficient execution and emphasized that the government will continue to intensify its crackdown on illegal activities in the POGO industry to maintain public order and financial security.

In recent years, the Philippine government has increased its efforts to investigate and combat illegal activities in the POGO industry, including illegal detention, fraud, and money laundering, to ensure the compliance of the POGO industry within the country and reduce its negative impact on public order.