The court in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, issued the sentence in September 2025. The detainees, who were part of the "Min" syndicate, were captured in November 2023 in Myanmar, near the border with China, as reported by the BBC.
The court found them guilty of crimes including intentional homicide, causing serious bodily harm, illegal deprivation of liberty, fraud, and organizing illegal gambling. Their actions resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens.
Although the convicted attempted to appeal the court's decision, in November 2025, the Zhejiang Provincial High People's Court upheld the sentence and referred the case to the Supreme People's Court of China, which also confirmed the legality of the decision and authorized its execution.
According to the Supreme People's Court, since 2015, members of this group have organized several bases for telecommunications fraud and illegal gambling in Myanmar, with a total amount of funds involved exceeding 10 billion yuan (approximately 1.4 billion USD). The criminals also employed murder, beatings, and illegal detention of individuals.
The Wenzhou court carried out the sentence after receiving approval from the Supreme People's Court.
Earlier this month, five more members of the "Bai" syndicate were sentenced to death. Trials against other groups, such as "Wei" and "Liu," are still ongoing.
Scam centers operate in northern Myanmar, where people are lured under the pretext of employment, then held captive, stripped of their documents, and forced to participate in fraudulent schemes. Victims may face violence and torture for any disobedience.
