Hong Kong Cracks Down on $15M Crypto Laundering Scheme—12 Arrested in Midnight Raid
Hong Kong’s cybercrime unit just sliced through a $15 million crypto laundering operation like a hot knife through butter. Twelve suspects now face the music—proving even blockchain leaves fingerprints.
Behind the bust: Authorities tracked dirty money flowing through privacy coins and offshore exchanges. The ring allegedly used shell companies and fake invoices—classic moves from the pre-crypto playbook.
Why it matters: While regulators foam at the mouth over ‘risky DeFi,’ old-school financial crime still loves dressing up in crypto’s clothes. Bonus irony: the laundered sum wouldn’t cover a single Wall Street banker’s annual bonus.
Crypto Laundering Ring Operated from Mong Kok Apartment, Police Say
The group is believed to have operated out of a rented apartment in Mong Kok, where they planned and coordinated laundering activities.
Authorities say more than HK$9.4 million ($1.2 million) of the funds can be linked to at least 58 confirmed fraud cases.
The operation came to a head on May 15 after police surveillance tracked two suspected syndicate recruits leaving the Mong Kok base—one visiting a bank, the other an ATM.
Both individuals later attempted to convert cash into cryptocurrency at a shop in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Officers intervened before the funds could be laundered, arresting both on the spot and seizing around HK$770,000 ($98,540) in cash.
Ten additional suspects, aged between 20 and 41, were apprehended soon after.
During the raids, authorities recovered approximately HK$1.05 million ($134,370) in cash, over 560 ATM cards, several mobile phones, and documents linked to bank and crypto transactions.
Senior Inspector Tse Ka-lun of the Commercial Crime Bureau stated that many of the bank accounts used in the scheme were provided by friends and relatives of those involved, often without understanding the full extent of the criminal activity.
The arrests come amid a surge in fraud-related crimes in the city. Reports of fraud ROSE by 12% in 2024, with over 10,000 related arrests.
HK police arrest 12 suspects in $15M crypto laundering tied to 500+ bank accounts and 58 fraud cases
$15M isn’t even that much tbh, barely worth the hassle. pic.twitter.com/qZSaMEbJB2
Police noted that about 73% of those cases involved individuals controlling stooge accounts.
Hong Kong Intensifies Crypto Crackdown
The crackdown coincides with Hong Kong’s broader efforts to tighten oversight of its crypto sector.
Last week, Hong Kong Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) announced the launch of a VIRTUAL asset analysis tool to aid in crypto crime investigations.
Dubbed ‘CryptoTrace’, the tool is developed in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, offering “advanced intelligence and investigation support to crime investigation units.”
The Bureau said that they conducted virtual asset investigations and CryptoTrace training sessions in March.
The course was aimed at strengthening the capabilities of frontline officers in handling virtual asset cases.
In addition to fighting crypto-related crimes, CSTCB has been actively engaging with stakeholders across sectors.
Titus, a legal firm in Hong Kong, noted that the city-state lost a staggering $3.1 billion in the first 10 months of 2024 to crypto-related scams.
Additionally, the government recently exposed a sophisticated scam related to the fake “National Hong Kong Coin.” The scam misled the public into believing the government WOULD soon launch an official digital currency.
