52 Singaporeans arrested in China on suspicion of pyramid scheme

The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the police issued a joint statement on Friday (September 4) saying that the arrest occurred in Guangxi Province, China, and was a law enforcement operation targeting suspected pyramid schemes and related illegal and criminal activities.

Singapore's Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Shen Ying told the media that the Singaporean government does not interfere in the judicial proceedings and investigations of other countries, but it has provided consular assistance to arrested citizens.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that personnel from the Singapore Embassy in Beijing and the Consulate General in Guangzhou have visited all 52 arrested Singaporeans three times to understand their physical and mental conditions. Shen Ying herself has also met with the families of most of those arrested.

The statement urges Singaporeans to be cautious when invited to participate in projects that recruit people or require large sums of money upfront, whether overseas or locally.

China has not directly confirmed the news. At the regular press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held on September 4, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in response to questions that China investigates and handles illegal and criminal cases of foreign citizens in China in accordance with the law and fully protects the legitimate rights of the parties. "For further information, it is recommended to inquire with the Chinese competent authorities."

There have been a number of major cases in Singapore involving Chinese nationals who were accused of engaging in or assisting cross-border criminal activities.

According to Agence France-Presse, in 2023, the Singapore police arrested 10 Chinese citizens and foreign nationals born in China in a large-scale anti-money laundering operation; the case ultimately involved the seizure or freezing of approximately S$2.4 billion in assets, including luxury homes, vehicles, cash and cryptocurrency.