19-Year-Old Chinese Student Trafficked to Myanmar Scam Ring, Family Pays $30K USDT Ransom But Victim Still Held

Gate News message, April 23 — A 19-year-old first-year university student from Guangdong, China, was trafficked to a fraud operation in Myanmar's Shan State after being lured to Thailand on April 10 under the guise of attending a water festival. After being intercepted in Bangkok, she was sold to a scam ring near the Sanphet Prasat area. On April 13, her family was contacted by a person claiming to have "bought" her from traffickers for 29,000 USDT and demanding 30,000 USDT (approximately 200,000 Chinese yuan) in ransom for her release.

The family transferred the full ransom amount, but the contact repeatedly postponed her release, citing road closures during the water festival and restrictions on movement from the scam compound. As of April 23, after media exposure, the perpetrator reportedly agreed in principle to release her but has not provided a specific location. Police in Guangzhou's Baiyun District opened a criminal investigation on April 15 on charges of unlawful detention, and Guangdong's education authorities have also intervened. Negotiations for the victim's safe release are ongoing.