Amber Casino and former scam center, owned by Chen Zhi, a Chinese businessman who was deported to China, is seen in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Jan. 18, 2026.
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Chinese-language money laundering networks funneled an estimated $16.1 billion in illicit funds through cryptocurrency transactions in 2025, according to a report released Tuesday by blockchain data analysis firm Chainalysis.
These networks, known as CLMNs, accounted for roughly one-fifth of the illicit cryptocurrency ecosystem in 2025, which Chainalysis valued at over $82 billion.
The criminal networks primarily operate through various channels and chat groups on the messaging platform Telegram, where launderers advertise their services to prospective…
