52 Singaporeans Held in China Over Suspected Pyramid Scheme

Fifty-two Singaporeans are reportedly detained in China on suspicion of involvement in a large-scale pyramid scheme, a number believed to be the largest for Singaporeans arrested and held overseas at any one time. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is engaging with Chinese authorities through its embassy in Beijing and consulate-general in Guangzhou. Consular officers have visited all detainees, and the ministry is in contact with their next of kin. Singaporean police have also reached out to their Chinese counterparts for more information, with investigations ongoing. The region of Guangxi, where the operation is believed to have taken place, is known as the birthplace of the "1040 Sunshine Project," a decades-old scam also referred to as the "Beibu Gulf Development Project" and the "Nanning Investment Scam." Recruits are typically lured by friends, relatives, or through false pretenses involving tourism, high-paying jobs, or romance. They are required to pay an entry fee, often around 69,800 yuan (US$10,300), for shares in a fictitious state-backed venture, with promises of an eventual payout of up to 10.4 million yuan. Participants are often housed in rented flats, isolated from outside contact, and subjected to lectures on wealth accumulation, with assurances that the arrangement is secret and exclusive. China's State Administration for Market Regulation has investigated over 200,000 pyramid scheme and direct selling cases between 2021 and 2025 and vowed to continue its crackdown. Revisions to public security laws, effective from January 2026, will allow police to fine and briefly detain rank-and-file participants who previously evaded criminal prosecution, signaling a reinforced effort to combat such schemes.