Chinese fugitive accused of R120m fraud quietly tracked down in South Africa

For months, it seemed like a 63-year-old Chinese national accused of one of the most expensive currency scams in his home country had simply vanished. But behind the scenes, South African authorities were piecing together a trail that eventually led to a quiet arrest in Sandton and a swift extradition from OR Tambo International Airport.

How a visa application exposed a long-running escape

The story of Fujia Chen’s arrest began in an unlikely place. After slipping into South Africa undetected, police say he managed to stay under the radar for nearly four years. But when he walked into the US embassy in 2025 to apply for a visa, his luck ran out.

Officials flagged him after noticing that Interpol had issued a Red Notice in July that same year. The alert revealed he was wanted in China for allegedly running an illegal foreign currency scheme that cost the Chinese government around R120 million.

Within hours, South African police moved in. Chen appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court the next day, marking the start of extradition proceedings that would stretch into early 2026.

A crime that began long before his arrival in South Africa

According to Chinese authorities, Chen fled the country in 2021 after his alleged accomplices were arrested. While they faced charges at home, he slipped across borders and settled in South Africa, where he managed to avoid detection for years.

Interpol’s Red Notice meant the search for him was ongoing internationally, but without any major activity or travel on record, he stayed hidden until the visa application triggered a match.

Extradition finalised after six months in custody

Chen was arrested in July 2025 and remained behind bars for six months while authorities worked through the extradition process. The court granted the order on 20 January 2026, clearing the way for Interpol officers from the South African Police Service to hand him over to a Chinese delegation.

He was escorted through OR Tambo International Airport last Friday and is now back in China to face trial.

A bigger crackdown on foreign fugitives

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says Chen’s extradition is part of a wider effort to clamp down on transnational organised crime.

Authorities from South Africa and China are currently tracking 18 additional Chinese fugitives believed to be hiding in the country, with 11 already listed on Interpol’s Red Notice system.

Mathe says more arrests are expected as cooperation between the two countries deepens.

{Source:The South African}

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