Xu Faqi sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve

Xu Faqi, the notorious Myanmar-based Kokang gang leader, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a Chinese court on Friday for multiple crimes, including fraud and drug trafficking.

Four other members of the gang were also given sentences ranging from 14 years to life imprisonment for six offenses — including fraud and intentional injury — based on each individual's criminal acts, circumstances, and the degree of harm caused to society, according to the ruling announced by the No 5 Intermediate People's Court in Chongqing.

The court said that, since 2019, the criminal organization — with Xu as its principal leader and Luo Yujun as its armed leader — had exploited Xu's local influence in Kokang to collaborate with telecom fraud groups to establish several scam compounds, with illicit gains exceeding 1.1 billion yuan ($158 million).

During the armed shelter protection, Xu's gang colluded with these telecom fraud groups to intentionally harm individuals involved in fraud who did not comply with management, resulting one death and one minor injury, the court noted.

Additionally, it added that Xu was found to have conspired to commit crimes such as smuggling and drug trafficking.

More than 20 people, including national lawmakers and political advisers, attended the ruling announcement on Friday.

In a statement released by China's Ministry of Public Security in October, the gang led by Xu built or rented 14 scam compounds — including hotels and industrial parks — and recruited large numbers of people to carry out telecom fraud. They were linked to more than 3,400 fraud cases, mainly targeting Chinese citizens on a large scale.