The United States government has announced a reward of up to $4 million for information leading to the arrest of a fugitive Chinese national accused of laundering tens of millions of dollars linked to international scam operations.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of State said the reward targets Daren Li, who was convicted in the United States on money laundering charges but remains at large.
The offer, issued under the Transnational Organised Crime Rewards Programme, was unveiled by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs as part of efforts to dismantle global fraud networks operating across Southeast Asia.
According to U.S. authorities, Li facilitated the laundering of proceeds generated from cryptocurrency scams run by organised criminal syndicates, many of which target victims in the United States and other countries.
Court documents show that Li admitted to conspiring with accomplices to move illicit funds through a network of shell companies and bank accounts, using digital currencies to evade anti-money laundering controls.
Investigators said at least $73.6 million in victim funds flowed through accounts linked to Li and his associates, including $59.8 million routed through U.S.-based shell entities used to disguise the origin of the proceeds.
Authorities further alleged that Li directed co-conspirators to establish bank accounts in the United States and oversaw both domestic and international wire transfers tied to the scheme.
The State Department said the reward announcement aligns with a broader crackdown by U.S. agencies on transnational fraud networks. Recent coordinated actions include criminal charges against individuals operating scam compounds in Myanmar and Cambodia, as well as the seizure of hundreds of fraudulent websites used in cryptocurrency investment scams.
In addition, U.S. authorities have imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the operation of scam centres across the region, underscoring growing international concern over the scale and sophistication of such criminal enterprises.
Officials said the reward programme is aimed at strengthening global law enforcement cooperation and disrupting networks that exploit victims through digital fraud and human trafficking-linked scam operations.
The U.S. government urged members of the public with relevant information to contact law enforcement authorities, assuring that all identities would be kept confidential.
