The Philippines’ Department of Justice announced early Wednesday the arrest of so-called “POGO Mayor” Alice Guo in Jakarta, Indonesia.
It is believed Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, fled the Philippines by boat on alongside her sister Sheila Guo and fellow POGO associate Cassandra Li Ong on 21 July amid investigations into her alleged links with illegal offshore gaming hubs. Ong and Sheila Guo were arrested and deported back to the Philippines last week, where they fronted a Senate Hearing into the POGO industry.
In a statement, the DOJ said Alice Guo was arrested in Tangerang City, Jakarta, shortly before midnight on Tuesday evening.
“This development has been verified by our counterparts in Immigration, who have confirmed that Ms. Guo is currently in the custody of the Indonesian Police at Jatanras Mabes Polri,” the DOJ said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla added, “We will ensure that all legal processes are followed to hold her accountable for any crimes committed. The DOJ is committed to pursuing justice and will continue to coordinate closely with Indonesian authorities to facilitate the necessary legal procedures.”
Guo’s arrest comes after the Philippines’ Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and other agencies filed several counts of money laundering against her and 35 other individuals with the DOJ due to their alleged links to illegal operators BAOFU Land Development Inc, Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc or Zun Yuan Technology Inc – the latter of which was raided by authorities earlier this year on suspicion of being involved in human trafficking and cryptocurrency scams.
Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, is accused of aiding the operations of Zun Yuan Technology Inc.
