China detains 52 Singaporeans over alleged pyramid schemes; Beijing denies arrest

Fifty two people from Singapore have arrested in China over suspect of involvement in pyramid schemes. It marks the largest detention of overseas citizens till date by China. All those suspect were arrested in China's southern province of Guangxi amid a law enforcement operation targeting suspected pyramid schemes and related offences, Singapore's foreign ministry and police claimed in a joint statement.

However, date and timing of the arrest has not yet been confirmed. "Investigations by the Chinese authorities are ongoing. The Singapore Police Force has contacted its Chinese counterparts to seek more information," the statement added. To check suspects well-being and provide consular assistance, Singaporean diplomats have visited the detained site.

China yet to confirm arrest

Further, the statement advised Singaporeans to be cautious about invitations to join schemes that involve recruiting participants or require paying large sums of money upfront, whether the schemes are based overseas or within Singapore. Meanwhile, China has yet to confirm the arrests. Beijing's foreign ministry stated that authorities deal with criminal cases involving foreign nationals "in accordance with the law."

Singapore has previously handled major cases involving Chinese nationals linked to cross-border criminal activity. In 2023, police arrested 10 Chinese nationals and China-born foreign individuals as part of a large-scale anti-money laundering operation, which ultimately led to the seizure or freezing of roughly $2.4 billion in assets, including luxury properties, vehicles, cash, and cryptocurrency.