Wang Shuiming, a key figure in Singapore’s largest money laundering case, was arrested in Montenegro after arriving on a private jet from the Maldives. According to reports, Montenegrin border police detained him at Tivat Airport, identifying him through Interpol databases, as an international arrest warrant had been issued.  

Wang, originally from China and known as Vang Shuiming, had been deported from Singapore to Japan in June 2024 after serving a 13-month and six-week prison sentence. Reports indicate he was carrying a Vanuatu passport at the time of his arrest, one of several he had acquired through financial contributions to different countries.  

Links to illegal betting operations  

Reports also said that authorities in Montenegro allege that Wang was involved in operating illegal online betting platforms targeting Chinese users. He now faces further legal proceedings in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica. However, officials have not confirmed in which jurisdiction the charges were originally filed.  

Wang had previously claimed his wealth came from a loan business in China but later stated it was derived from gambling winnings and real estate investments in the Philippines. His history of fraudulent financial activities, particularly in the online gambling sector, has drawn the attention of international law enforcement.  

Singapore conviction and asset seizure  

Wang was arrested in Singapore in August 2023 as part of a large-scale operation that led to the seizure of over $3 billion in assets from 10 individuals, all originally from China. He pleaded guilty in May 2024 to two counts of money laundering and one count of submitting a forged document to a bank.  

Investigations revealed that he had falsified financial records to obscure the origins of approximately $2.4 million held in four bank accounts. In a plea agreement, Wang forfeited around $180 million of the $199 million worth of cash, properties, and luxury assets seized from him and his wife. This included 15 properties worth $29.6 million, three luxury vehicles valued at $3.38 million, and high-end watches worth $17.4 million.  

Broader crackdown on money laundering  

Wang’s case was part of Singapore’s largest-ever crackdown on illicit financial activities. The other nine individuals arrested in the same operation were sentenced to between 13 and 17 months in prison before being deported and barred from returning. Meanwhile, 17 others fled Singapore during investigations, with 15 agreeing to surrender assets worth about $1.85 billion. Two fugitives, Xu Haika and Xu Hainan, remain at large, with their assets worth $144.9 million, still under restriction orders.