Hong Kong police arrest hundreds in HK$620 million fraud, money laundering crackdown

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Danny MokFebruary 2, 2026 at 11:53 AM

AI Summary

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Hong Kong police arrested over 680 individuals in recent operations targeting fraud and money laundering, involving HK$620 million in suspected criminal proceeds. One operation focused on the misuse of bank accounts, revealing that victims' leaked email credentials were used to access online banking accounts and transfer funds. This resulted in losses of HK$650,000 across 51 victims between February and September of last year. Police identified individuals controlling stooge accounts that processed HK$72 million in illicit funds, leading to the arrest of 10 people. Separately, in mid-January, authorities dismantled a romance scam syndicate and a group laundering money through virtual currencies.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States Dollar 40% Romance Scam 50% Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau 60% Money Laundering ×270% Hong Kong 80% Hong Kong Police Force ×590%

Keywords

money laundering 90% fraud 90% hong kong police 70% cybersecurity 60% online banking 60% crime syndicates 50% romance scam 50% virtual currencies 50% data breach 40%