When the United States and the United Kingdom jointly announced what they described as “sweeping sanctions” against the sprawling Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organization in Cambodia, officials touted the move as a major blow to a cyber-scamming empire accused of siphoning billions of dollars from victims around the world.
Yet beneath the triumphant rhetoric lies a glaring omission: a key business associate of the alleged crime syndicate’s leader not only escaped British sanctions entirely but has quietly amassed tens of millions of dollars in property and corporate holdings using multiple identities.

This individual, known publicly as Chen Xiao’er, appears prominently on the US sanctions list. But documents now reveal that the man behind this name is actually Wu An Ming, a 43-year-old Chinese-born investor who holds citizenship from the Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Records obtained by OCCRP show that Wu began using the name “Chen Xiao’er” around 2017, only to formally change his identity back to “Wu An Ming” by 2020. Despite this, the US sanctions list includes only the earlier identity – a discrepancy that has enabled him to maintain access to Western financial systems and expand his global business empire.

The result is stark: a man sanctioned under one name continues to flourish under another, owning luxury real estate in London, running companies across continents, investing in listed firms, and controlling aircraft leasing operations that span Asia.

The sanctions announced by the US Treasury targeted 146 individuals and entities believed to be part of or connected to the so-called Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organization. The group is accused of running cyber-scam compounds, exploiting trafficked workers, and laundering billions.

But the US sanction designation lists “Chen Xiao’er”-an identity that records show Wu no longer uses. Instead, he operates under his legal Saint Kitts and Nevis........

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