THE ransom paid by the family of Chinese businessman Anson Que went to two casino junket operators or firms, one of which is owned by a Chinese whose naturalization was recently disapproved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. due to potential risk to national security.
In a press briefing at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo named the junket operators as the 9 Dynasty Group and the White Horse Club.
Authorities earlier said the family of Que paid P200 million in ransom for the freedom of Que and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, who were last seen alive on March 29.
The victims ended up being killed by their kidnappers despite the payment of ransom, made in several tranches. Their bodies were found in Rodriguez, Rizal, last April 9.
“They (kidnappers) sent the money to two junket operators, one is (9) Dynasty and the other White Horse,” said Fajardo, adding that the money was later transferred to several accounts, including that of Lin Ning.
“Eventually, these accounts, e-wallets, were passed to crypto wallets,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said Ning’s account was found to be linked to Ni Qinhui, another Chinese arrested by the NBI last February in Manila for espionage.
Fajardo said Ning sent a “large amount of money” through e-wallet to Qinhui on June 7, 2023.
“The account of Lin Ning was among the accounts where the ransom (paid by the Que family) went,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said 9 Dynasty Group is owned by Li Duan Wang, alias Mark Ong, who earlier applied for naturalization.
Fajardo said the Senate approved the naturalization of Wang with a 19-1 vote, with Sen. Risa Hontiveros as the only senator objecting.
“The House of Representatives, with no less than 200 members, approved the application of Li Duang Wang for naturalization,” said Fajardo.
However, Fajardo said the President vetoed the bill to naturalize Wang last April 11, “citing warnings from national agencies about Wang’s character and potential risks to national security.”
“Li Duang Wang is the man behind 9 Dynasty,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said Wang, who is from Fujian, China arrived in the Philippines in 1991 and put up firms related to gaming, information technology, real estate, and cryptocurrency.
Fajardo said the cryptocurrency business of Wang lacks permit from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and is not registered with the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
“They (9 Dynasty Group and White Horse Club) were used as a conduit to clean the ransom money,” said Fajardo, adding that 9 Dynasty Group was found to be involved in a similar scheme in a 2024 kidnapping case.
“It (ransom money) was transferred to an e-wallet, transferred to another e-wallet before it was converted into cryptocurrency,” said Fajardo.
The PNP did not provide a background on the activities and people behind the White Horse Club.
Fajardo said the PNP is taking steps to revoke the authority to operate of the two junket firms.
She added that they are working for the freezing and subsequent forfeiture of the firms’ properties related to illegal activities.
Fajardo said the PNP, together with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, is preparing charges for money laundering.
Three suspects in the kidnapping and killing of Que and Pabillo are in police custody. They are David Tan Liao and Filipinos Ricardo Austria and Reymark Catequista.
Two other Chinese — Wenli Gong, alias Kelly Tan Lim and Jonin Lin – are at large.
Fajardo tagged Liao and Gong as the masterminds while Lin, Austria and Catequista were the “musclemen.”
Last week, the PNP announced a P5 million bounty for information that would lead to the arrest of Gong. The reward, the PNP said, was offered by a concerned citizen who wanted the case resolved.
Yesterday, the PNP announced that the bounty has been increased to P10 million.
“Wenli Gong, alias Kelly, has a P10 million reward,” said PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, who described Gong and Tan as “primary suspects” in the case.
