Taiwanese fugitive Lin Bingwen was ambushed by several gunmen on the night of March 23 in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and was killed by 29 bullets, ending his years-long run from the law. Lin Bingwen was wanted in Taiwan for his involvement in the "88 Club" money laundering case, which allegedly processed about 21.7 billion New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 680 million USD) of illicit money related to illegal online gambling through underground banks and the third-party payment platform PGtalk. Simply put, he was a gambling and underworld boss who was "targeted for elimination" in the gambling city of Westport, Cambodia. Want to know the latest on cross-border crime enforcement in Southeast Asia? Follow the PASA official website for continuous updates.
Incident in Westport: 29 shots claim life, suspected organized assassination
The shooting occurred on a road in Sihanoukville, where 3 to 4 gunmen fired 29 shots at Lin Bingwen before fleeing the scene. This coastal city is known for its dense casinos and is also a hotbed for illegal gambling and online fraud. Cambodian police have launched a manhunt, but the motive has not been disclosed. Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau later confirmed his death. Lin Bingwen, nicknamed "Eel," had been wanted in Taiwan for over a year and remained active on social media during his fugitive period, once publicly stating, "I decide when to go back."
Empire of Black Money: 88 Club case reveals 21.7 billion money laundering network
Lin Bingwen was a key figure in the "88 Club" money laundering case, which involved using underground banks and the PGtalk payment platform to launder 21.7 billion New Taiwan Dollars for illegal online gambling. The case also implicated several senior police officers, triggering the largest corruption investigation in Taiwan's police force, with over 20 officers disciplined. The main culprit, Guo Zheming, was extradited back to Taiwan in 2023 and sentenced to nearly 12 years. Lin Bingwen himself was indicted in 2023, posted bail of 3 million New Taiwan Dollars but repeatedly failed to appear in court, and was wanted by the end of 2024.
Dark History: From professional baseball match-fixing to Macau casino brokerage
Lin Bingwen's criminal history dates back to the 2007 Taiwanese professional baseball "Black Rice Incident" where he was accused of bribing players to fix matches, but was later fined instead of serving time. He then moved to Macau's VIP casino rooms, engaging in high-stakes gambling brokerage. As regulations tightened in Macau, his financial operations shifted to underground banks and third-party payment systems. After fleeing to Cambodia, he invested in casinos and hotels in Westport in collaboration with Chinese capital, where he ultimately met his demise. Want to know the latest on cross-border crime enforcement in Southeast Asia? Follow the PASA official website for continuous updates.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
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