BI deports 312 Chinese in online fraud

A total of 312 Chinese nationals reportedly involved in online investment fraud left the country on Thursday after they were deported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

They were among 512 foreigners, including Burmese, Malaysians, Vietnamese and Indonesians, who were arrested on Oct. 9 when Metro Manila policemen raided a Chinese company allegedly involved in offshore telecommunications investment fraud.

The firm, which occupied five floors of a building in Parañaque City, posed as a business process outsourcing center.

BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said in a statement that the Chinese government had canceled the passports of its nationals, which made them undocumented aliens.

The rest of the foreigners were transferred to the bureau’s warden facility pending the issuance of deportation orders against them.