Philippine police raided a Chinese-run scam center in Manila and arrested dozens of Filipino and foreign workers. These individuals allegedly took part in defrauding victims through a “manipulated” trading platform.
Local reports confirm that the center posed as a licensed online gaming company. President Ferdinand Marcos banned the company last month due to its links to scams, kidnapping, human trafficking, and even murder.
During the pre-dawn raid on August 22nd, police apprehended 67 foreigners. These included 58 Chinese nationals, along with others from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Additionally, authorities arrested 32 Filipinos at the scene.
Police also took the facility’s owner and manager into custody. Both individuals are Chinese nationals, according to official reports.
In a statement, police revealed that the center ran both a cryptocurrency investment scam and a romance-based “love scam.” Employees pretended to be wealthy models to lure unsuspecting victims. After gaining trust, they convinced victims to invest in the manipulated platform.
Some of the Filipinos arrested claimed they had been forced into scam work. However, the police statement did not clarify what happened to those who refused. Several employees were reportedly made to dress seductively and perform lascivious acts to attract potential targets.
This high-profile raid followed President Marcos’ sweeping ban on online gambling operators last month. That decision came after public outrage erupted over allegations involving Alice Guo, the mayor of Bamban municipality.
Authorities linked Guo to a major scam hub located just north of Manila. She allegedly obtained Filipino citizenship fraudulently to run for public office.
After these revelations surfaced, Guo fled the country. President Marcos responded with a firm statement, vowing to pursue everyone who aided her escape. He warned that “heads will roll.”
Authorities now suspect that several hundred illegal online gambling entities operate across the Philippines. They believe that some of the over 40 licensed operators may also run scam centers under the protection—or negligence—of public officials.
As POGO operations wind down, law enforcement expects to carry out more raids in the coming months. The government aims to dismantle the remaining scam hubs and hold accountable those complicit in enabling them.