Chinese Hacker Arrested in La Union Linked to Porac POGO Raid

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — A Chinese national, suspected of hacking bank accounts internationally and working at a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub, has been arrested in La Union, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, 40-year-old Lin Qiude was apprehended on July 20 at a luxury resort within the Poro Point Freeport. Lin is wanted under a detention warrant issued by the public prosecutor in Anxi County, Fujian province, China, where he faces charges of fraud.

Sy detailed that Lin’s criminal activities extend beyond his international warrants. He is suspected by local authorities of being one of the hackers in a POGO hub that was recently raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in Porac, Pampanga. Investigators believe Lin played a significant role in cybercrimes affecting victims in the United States, Middle East, and Europe.

The suspect is currently held at the BI custodial facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, where he awaits deportation proceedings and the potential filing of further charges. The arrest was part of a coordinated operation involving Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines intelligence groups.