On January 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Jingliang Su, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for his role in a Cambodia-based cryptocurrency scam that targeted Americans. Su was also ordered by the court to pay more than $26 million in restitution. In June 2025, Su pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business for allegedly working with an international criminal network to steal and launder tens of millions of dollars from 174 U.S.-based victims. According to federal prosecutors, the scam generated more than $36.9 million in illegal profits.
According to the DOJ, the scheme involved overseas co-conspirators who would make unsolicited contact with potential victims via text, social media, telephone, or through online dating services. After gaining their trust, the victims were reportedly convinced by the scammers to invest in digital assets. The co-conspirators allegedly had the victims send their funds through fake websites that they created to resemble real cryptocurrency trading platforms. After receiving the funds, they would reportedly continue to tell victims that their investments were increasing in value when, in fact, the funds were gone. According to the DOJ, the funds were laundered by the co-conspirators through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital wallets before being deposited into a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas, in the name Axis Digital Limited. The funds were then allegedly converted to the stablecoin Tether and transferred to a digital asset wallet controlled by individuals in Cambodia, who disbursed the funds to scam center leaders throughout Cambodia. According to federal prosecutors, Su served as a director of Axis Digital and participated in the conversion of digital assets and the transfer of victim funds.
To date, eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty for their roles in scheme, including Jose Somarriba and Shengsheng He who allegedly founded Axis Digital and opened the Deltec Bank account used in the scheme. They each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Somarriba was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and He received 36 months, according to the DOJ.
DOJ Press Release | DOJ Press Release (June 9, 2025)