?האם המשטר הסיני עומד מאחורי מרכז ההונאה הענקיים הפועלים בדרום מזרח אסיה

Southeast Asia, once a major tourist destination, has become the world's most concentrated hub for online scammers. Recently, Thailand's military has opened fire on large scam centers across its borders in Myanmar and Cambodia. Thai officials say many of those who fled were Chinese nationals. Soon after, Beijing sent senior officials to the region, saying China wanted to help crack down on the scams. But questions remain. Is the Chinese Communist Party playing both hero and villain? U.S. investigations, Chinese state-run media reports and accounts from a former Chinese intelligence agent all point in the same direction. They say Beijing may be deeply involved in encouraging and even financing these scams networks. And some of the top kingpins behind them appear to have ties to the Chinese regime. NTD's Flora Hua has more. After the U.S. stepped up efforts to crack down on these crimes Southeast Asian militaries have taken action. In recent months, Thailand and Myanmar bombed several scam centers, including KK Park, one of the largest in the region. Local media footage shows Chinese and Thai officials escorted by Myanmar's authorities touring the demolished KK Park as part of a joint crackdown operation. But here's a twist. U.S. officials say a major stakeholder in KK Park has direct ties to the CCP and its United Front Work Department, which is a tool Beijing uses to build alliances. And this isn't an insulated case. Three years ago, Thai authorities arrested another Chinese national for his involvement in gambling and online scams. He was also seen front and center at meetings of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The event, called the Myanmar-China Business Summit, is hosted by a group approved by China's State Council. Here's another account. A former Chinese spy who worked for the CCP's top intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, says one of his primary tasks was tracking Chinese dissidents both at home and abroad and taking action when needed. He recently told Radio Canada International that the CCP helped him land a managerial role at Prince Group, a major scam operation based in Cambodia. That job served as cover for covert CCP operations. The head of Prince Group, Chen Ju, is now one of the U.S. government's most wanted individuals. Earlier this October, the Justice Department charged the Prince Group, saying its network scammed hundreds of Americans. Back in July, a congressional commission released a report examining how China is fueling crimes in Southeast Asia through scam centers. Many of them are owned by Chinese nationals, with the majority of workers being Chinese. The report says these operations helped Beijing expand its influence in the region while directly harming Americans. Flora Hua, NTD News.