In response to the government's crackdown on various crimes, the National Bureau of Investigation Special Task Force (NBI-STF) in the Philippines, under the direct command of Judge Jaime B. Santiago, Ret., recently arrested 20 foreign nationals.
These suspects are accused of violating Section 4(b)(1) (Social Engineering Fraud) of the "Anti-Financial Account Fraud Act" (R.A. No. 12010) and the "Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012" (R.A. No. 10175).
The operation was initiated by a report from a Chinese woman who complained to the NBI that her husband was employed as a Customer Service Representative (CSR) at a POGO company named "LWE," but was illegally detained by his employer. According to the report, the company's office is located at 8912 West Tower Aseana 3, Parañaque City.
On February 25, 2025, NBI-STF agents raided the company, successfully rescued the detained victim, and arrested the main suspect, Liu Zhitao (also known as "Ren Jia"). In addition to illegal detention, Liu Zhitao also faces additional charges of violating Article 267 (Serious Illegal Detention) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
During the search, NBI-STF agents discovered that the company was not only involved in illegal detention but also operated a complete online scam center. Several foreigners were found conducting online scam activities involving numerous financial account frauds. Based on the evidence, the NBI immediately arrested the involved personnel for violating the "Anti-Financial Account Fraud Act" and transferred them to the Parañaque City Prosecutor's Office for investigation.
NBI Director Santiago highly appreciated the agents' swift action and emphasized that the government will continue to strengthen law enforcement, severely crack down on illegal and criminal activities in the POGO industry, and maintain social order and financial security.
