Three Warnings Ignored: 59,000 Repatriated as Myanmar's 'Four Major Families' Face Justice

The three-part documentary "The Fall of Telecom Fraud in Northern Myanmar," aired on China Central Television from October 5-7, 2026, provides the first comprehensive account of the two-year博弈 between Chinese authorities and Myanmar's "Four Major Families" in Kokang. The footage reveals a critical truth: as early as September 2023, China had explicitly demanded "unconditional removal of fraud," yet the four families treated three rounds of meetings as a test of limits—ultimately leading to 16 principal criminals receiving death sentences. In July 2023, China's Ministry of Public Security launched a special operation against telecom fraud targeting Chinese citizens in northern Myanmar. By August, the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau took on the Ming family case, deploying over 800 police officers for simultaneous on-site investigations, data analysis, and interrogation efforts. The real turning point came in September 2023 when Chinese officials held three meetings with representatives from the four families—Bai Suocheng, Wei Chaoren, Liu Zhengxiang, and Liu Guoxi—delivering four clear demands: eliminate fraud, hand over the parks, release people, and stop operations. In the documentary, Bai Yingcang—son of Bai Suocheng and himself head of the Kokang militia while also deputy director of the Finance Bureau—admitted his actual thinking: "At first I wanted to see what the other families would do. If they handed over their operations, I would too. If they didn't, I wouldn't either." Ming Xuezhang was more blunt: "If we don't do this, we have nothing to eat. If we stop, what do we eat?" The October 20, 2023 incident shattered whatever space for "persuasion" remained. The Ming family, having received advance warning about an impending crackdown, attempted to transfer roughly 10,000 fraud operators from卧虎山庄 to other locations. During the transfer, people attempted to flee, and armed guards opened fire, killing four and injuring four Chinese nationals involved in fraud. By November 12, 2023, Wenzhou police issued wanted notices for Ming Xuezhang, Ming Guoping, Ming Julan, and Ming Zhenzhen. On November 15, Ming Xuezhang committed suicide; the next day, the other three were transferred to Chinese authorities in Lincang for interrogation. On January 30, 2024, a chartered flight landed at Kunming Changshui Airport carrying 10 major suspects from Kokang, including Bai Suocheng, Bai Yingcang, Wei Huairen, Liu Zhengxiang, and others. The Bai family case alone was staggering: 41 fraud parks under their control, including Bai Sheng Hotel, Tenglong Building, and Cangsheng Technology Park. The case involved over 31,000 fraud cases, 10.6 billion yuan in fraudulent funds, 18 billion yuan in gambling-related funds, and 11 tons of methamphetamine. Six Chinese citizens died and one committed suicide. On February 2, 2026, Bai Yingcang and three others were executed following final approval from the Supreme People's Court. The Ming family trial resulted in 11 death sentences carried out on January 29, 2026, with the entire case involving over 10 billion yuan in fraud and gambling funds, causing 14 deaths and 6 injuries among Chinese citizens. By June 2026, Myanmar had transferred 58,000 fraud suspects to China, essentially eliminating large-scale fraud parks in northern Myanmar. Yet as one survivor's story shows, the境外 traps persist. Liu Xiuhong from Sichuan's Mianzhu was kidnapped in Bangkok on June 9, 2026, and spent 79 days in a Myanmar park before rescue—held with a gun beside him during a monitored phone call home. For those still in danger abroad, the message is clear: contact Chinese embassies and consulates immediately for consular protection, report to local police, and preserve evidence. For the public, the warning is simple: be wary of overseas job traps, and report any suspicious recruitment efforts.