On the 8th, China Central Television released footage of Ming Zhenzhen, the leader of the Ming family telecom fraud syndicate in northern Myanmar, expressing repentance in court. Ming Zhenzhen confessed in court: “I feel deeply guilty for causing the situation today. Now I profoundly realize my mistakes. I regret my past ignorance and foolishness. I'm sorry. I am willing to take responsibility for what I should bear.”
On September 29, 2025, the Intermediate People's Court of Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, convicted Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen, Zhou Weichang, Wu Hongming, Wu Senlong, Fu Yubin and 11 others from the Ming family crime syndicate on charges including intentional homicide, intentional injury, illegal detention, fraud, and operating illegal casinos, and sentenced them to death with associated penalties. After the first-instance verdict, Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen and others appealed. The Zhejiang Provincial Higher People's Court held a public hearing and, on November 25, 2025, ruled to reject the appeals and uphold the original verdict, and submitted the case to the Supreme People's Court for approval according to law.
During the court's pronouncement, it was stated that the death sentences for the 11 defendants led by Ming Guoping and Ming Zhenzhen, with 5 others given suspended death sentences, were the maximum penalties under the law in response to extreme criminality.
On January 29 this year, Chinese authorities announced that the death penalties against Ming Guoping, Ming Zhenzhen, and nine other criminals had been carried out.
The Ming family is one of the four major clans in northern Myanmar and has long controlled the Laojie (Old Town) in Kokang, northern Myanmar. Ming Zhenzhen is one of the heads of the family. On the surface, members of the Ming family held positions as local officials and chamber of commerce presidents, but in reality, they were the “super landlords” and “protectors” behind the telecom fraud compounds.
In recent years, many Chinese citizens have suffered from the ravages of fraud in Myanmar. In August 2023, CCTV news directly named the four major northern Myanmar clans as a “community of interests,” marking the first time Chinese authorities had publicly declared war on telecom fraud forces in northern Myanmar.
In October 2023, Ming family’s private armed forces directly opened fire on Chinese victims attempting to escape, resulting in deaths. There were even rumors that an undercover Chinese police officer was killed in this incident. Afterwards, China issued a “global most-wanted” notice, implementing a “capture the ringleader to bring down the gang” strategy.
On November 12, the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau in Zhejiang publicly offered a reward for the arrest of Ming Xuechang, Ming Guoping, Ming Julan, and Ming Zhenzhen. On November 16, Ming Guoping, Ming Julan, and Ming Zhenzhen were successfully arrested and handed over to China, while Ming Xuechang committed suicide out of guilt.