By Ayo Ayodele
A recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights how organized criminal networks in Southeast Asia, especially Chinese syndicates, are exploiting the encrypted messaging app Telegram for large-scale illegal activities. The platform’s lax moderation has facilitated the trade of stolen data, cybercrime tools, and money laundering through unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges.
Telegram channels have become notorious for illegal transactions, with stolen credit card details, passwords, and malware being openly exchanged. Cybercriminals are also utilizing advanced technologies like deepfake software, targeting transnational crime groups operating in the region. One advertisement cited in the report stated, “We move 3 million USDT stolen from overseas per day,” illustrating the extensive nature of these operations.
The UNODC estimates that fraud operations in Southeast Asia, predominantly run by Chinese syndicates, generate between $27.4 billion to $36.5 billion annually. These groups often operate from fortified locations and exploit trafficked individuals to sustain their schemes, employing technology and the dark web to reach global victims.
The report’s release follows the arrest of Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, by French authorities last month, who faces charges for allowing the platform to facilitate criminal activities, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Durov has pledged to enhance cooperation with law enforcement by sharing user data and removing problematic features, though Telegram has not yet addressed the UNODC’s findings.
Benedikt Hofmann, the UNODC’s deputy representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, expressed alarm over the ease with which criminals can exploit the app, noting that user data is increasingly vulnerable to scams and other illegal activities due to minimal oversight.
Additionally, the report underscores how Southeast Asian criminal organizations have adapted to technological advancements, utilizing generative AI, malware, and deepfakes. The UNODC identified over 10 deepfake service providers specifically catering to these groups.
In South Korea, authorities are investigating Telegram’s role in online sex crimes linked to deepfake pornography, while in India, a hacker used the platform to leak sensitive data from Star Health, leading to a lawsuit against Telegram.