Chinese national arrested for orchestrating online scams

A 33-year-old Chinese national, Xiang Longyiyu, also known as Sam Lee, was apprehended by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Pasay City for allegedly orchestrating online scams targeting Filipinos and foreigners.

The arrest on November 4th was facilitated by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Bureau of Investigation-Operative Technical Cyber Division.

Xiang is accused of conducting online financial schemes and operating under a work-from-home setup, and was previously linked to a scam hub in Makati.

BI records indicate that Xiang arrived in the Philippines in 2019, overstayed after his visa expired in 2022, and has since been blacklisted by the BI.

He is currently detained at the BI detention facility in Taguig awaiting deportation, with the BI emphasizing their commitment to removing foreign nationals involved in criminal activities.