Alice Guo, the former Mayor of Bamban, has been sentenced to life in prison and ordered to pay a PHP2m fine for human trafficking related to a major scam operation connected to iGaming.
Guo, 35, along with three others, was found guilty of running a compound that authorities say housed one of the largest scam centres in the Philippines. The operation covered 36 buildings across eight hectares and targeted foreign investors through online schemes.
During the raid law enforcement rescued approximately 800 victims including Filipinos and foreigners who were coerced into running high-yield investment scams.
The scam operations were linked to Philippine Online Gaming Operations (POGO) which provide services primarily to clients in China where gambling is illegal.
These offshore gaming operators, which provided online gambling services primarily to foreign clients, were banned in July 2024 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The ban required all POGOs to cease operations by the end of 2024, with foreign workers given time to leave the country and authorities investigating links to criminal activity at several POGO-linked compounds.
In 2024, the Philippines Ombudsman dismissed Guo from her position as mayor, permanently banning her from holding public office and forfeiting her retirement benefits.
The decision followed investigations into her alleged involvement with POGO operations in her jurisdiction, with authorities citing a wilful disregard for the law.
After her dismissal, Guo fled the Philippines and was later arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia
