Prince Group
A Cambodian conglomerate associated with real estate, financial services, hospitality, entertainment, and aviation interests.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
4requests
1companies- Anthropic4
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 2
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Prince Group, formally described as Prince Holding Group, is a Cambodia-based conglomerate founded by Chen Zhi in 2015. The group has developed or invested in businesses spanning property development, financial services, hospitality, entertainment, casinos, and aviation. Its best-known operating interests include Prince Real Estate Group, Prince Bank, and Cambodia Airways, while its activities have also been associated with casino and online-gambling ventures in Sihanoukville and elsewhere in Cambodia. The group expanded during a period of rapid Chinese-linked investment in Cambodia, particularly in Sihanoukville, where casinos, hotels, construction projects, and related services grew quickly. Prince Group and associated entities participated in this broader investment environment, including the Jinbei Casino project, which was co-founded in 2017 by Chen Zhi and Cambodian politician Sar Sokha. The group's businesses were oriented in part toward Chinese visitors and mainland Chinese customers, although gambling is illegal in mainland China. Its growth was disrupted by two major changes. Cambodia criminalized online gambling in 2019, reducing the viability of one important business area. The COVID-19 pandemic then sharply restricted international travel and weakened Cambodia's tourism and casino economy. Despite these challenges, the group continued to present itself as a diversified Cambodian business platform. In 2021, it received a Corporate Social Responsibility Model Award from the China Finance Summit, according to referenced material. Prince Group later became the subject of criminal and regulatory scrutiny in several jurisdictions. Chinese authorities investigated alleged connections to online gambling and money laundering beginning in 2020. A 2022 Chinese court proceeding alleged that entities connected with the group had earned at least 2 billion Chinese yuan from illegal gambling since 2016. A group spokesperson disputed the allegations, stating that Jinbei Group was unrelated to Prince Group and that other parties had fraudulently impersonated the organization. In 2025, the United States and United Kingdom sanctioned Prince Group and Chen Zhi over alleged involvement in scam centers and online fraud. The United States Department of Justice also pursued asset-forfeiture and money-laundering-related action, including the freezing of cryptocurrency and London property described in reference material. Authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore separately froze or seized assets linked to the group or its associates. Subsequent reporting described additional Cambodian, Chinese, Singaporean, and European enforcement activity involving Chen Zhi, Prince Bank, Huione Group, and related individuals and companies. Because the allegations, sanctions, asset actions, and later criminal proceedings remain matters of official investigations or legal claims, they should not be treated as final findings against every Prince Group entity.
History
Prince Group was established in Cambodia in 2015 by Chen Zhi. It developed as a diversified business group during a period when Cambodia attracted substantial Chinese-linked capital, especially in property, tourism, casinos, and infrastructure. Rather than operating as a single-product brand, the organization used a holding-company model with interests in several sectors. Real estate became one of its central activities through Prince Real Estate Group and related development projects. The broader portfolio also included financial services through Prince Bank, hospitality and entertainment operations, and an aviation interest through Cambodia Airways. The group expanded into Sihanoukville as the coastal city experienced a rapid casino and construction boom. Its activities there included casino-related investments and services directed in part toward Chinese tourists and customers. In 2017, Chen Zhi and Cambodian politician Sar Sokha co-founded Jinbei Casino. The project became one of the most visible examples of the group's connection with the casino economy. That business environment weakened after Cambodia criminalized online gambling in 2019. The change was followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted international travel and caused a major decline in tourism, casino traffic, and hospitality activity. The group continued to promote a diversified corporate identity during this period. In 2021, the China Finance Summit reportedly recognized it with a Corporate Social Responsibility Model Award. At the same time, Prince Group and entities described as connected with it faced increasing scrutiny. In May 2020, Chinese authorities began investigating alleged links to online gambling and money laundering. In 2022, a court in Sichuan reportedly alleged that the group had earned at least 2 billion Chinese yuan from illegal gambling since 2016. A Prince Group spokesperson rejected the allegations and argued that Jinbei Group was not part of Prince Group and that unrelated entities had used the Prince name fraudulently. The legal and regulatory pressure escalated in 2025. The United States and United Kingdom sanctioned Prince Group and Chen Zhi over alleged participation in scam centers and online fraud. United States proceedings also involved alleged wire fraud and money laundering and sought control of significant assets, including cryptocurrency and London real estate. Hong Kong and Singapore authorities separately froze or seized assets connected with the investigations. Reference material describes additional developments in 2026, including the reported arrest and extradition of Chen Zhi, the removal of his Cambodian citizenship, and an order by Cambodia's central bank to liquidate Prince Bank. It also describes the extradition of a former Huione Group chairman to China and a Singapore police investigation into further associates. These developments place the group's operating status, ownership, management, and financial position under substantial uncertainty. The allegations and enforcement actions should be distinguished from adjudicated findings, and the status of individual subsidiaries requires separate verification.
- 2026
Reported arrest, extradition, and bank liquidation
[1]Reference material reports action against Chen Zhi in Cambodia and an order to liquidate Prince Bank.
- 2025
United States and United Kingdom sanctions
[1]The group and Chen Zhi are sanctioned over alleged involvement in scam centers and online fraud.
- 2022
Court allegations concerning illegal gambling
[1]A Sichuan court proceeding reportedly alleges substantial illegal-gambling profits connected with the group; Prince Group disputes the claims.
- 2021
Corporate social responsibility award
[1]The China Finance Summit reportedly gives Prince Group a Corporate Social Responsibility Model Award.
- 2020
Chinese investigation begins
[1]Chinese police reportedly begin investigating alleged links involving Prince Group, online gambling, and money laundering.
- 2019
Cambodia criminalizes online gambling
[1]A Cambodian policy change ends or restricts a major part of the online-gambling environment in which Prince Group-related businesses had operated.
- 2017
Jinbei Casino is co-founded
[1]Chen Zhi and Sar Sokha co-found Jinbei Casino amid the expansion of Sihanoukville's casino and tourism economy.
- 2015
Prince Group is founded
[1]Chen Zhi establishes the Cambodian conglomerate, which later develops interests in property, finance, hospitality, entertainment, and aviation.
Products and positioning
A diversified Cambodian conglomerate combining property development, finance, hospitality, entertainment, and aviation interests.
Real estate development
Prince Real Estate Group
The group's property-development arm and one of its principal business lines. It is associated with residential, commercial, and mixed-use development activity in Cambodia, particularly during the country's construction and urban-investment boom.
Banking and financial services
Prince Bank
A Cambodian banking business associated with Prince Group and its financial-services portfolio. Reference material states that Cambodia's central bank ordered its liquidation in 2026, although the precise legal and operational status requires verification.
Airline services
Cambodia Airways
An airline interest listed among Prince Group's sectoral businesses. The available material does not establish the group's precise ownership structure, route network, or current operating status.
Casino and entertainment · 2017
Jinbei Casino
A casino project co-founded in 2017 by Chen Zhi and Sar Sokha in the context of Sihanoukville's casino expansion. Its reported association with Prince Group became relevant to later allegations concerning online gambling and money laundering, which the group disputed.
Controversies
2026
Reported arrest of Chen Zhi and liquidation order for Prince Bank
Reference material reports Chen Zhi's arrest and extradition from Cambodia and a central-bank order to liquidate Prince Bank.
2025
Sanctions over alleged scam-center and online-fraud activity
The United States and United Kingdom sanctioned Prince Group and Chen Zhi over alleged involvement in scam centers and online fraud.
2025
International asset-freezing and seizure actions
Authorities in the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore reportedly froze or seized cryptocurrency, real estate, vehicles, and other assets linked to investigations involving Prince Group and associates.
2022
Alleged illegal-gambling profits
A Sichuan court proceeding reportedly alleged that Prince Group had profited substantially from illegal gambling. A spokesperson denied the allegations and disputed the group's relationship with Jinbei Group.
2020
Investigation into alleged gambling and money laundering
Chinese authorities reportedly investigated alleged connections involving Prince Group, online gambling, and money laundering.
Brand decisions
2026
Prince Bank liquidation orderOtherBackground
Reference material states that Cambodia's central bank acted after enforcement actions involving Prince Group and Chen Zhi.
Action taken
The central bank reportedly ordered Prince Bank to be liquidated.
Aftermath
The bank's final operational and legal status requires confirmation from authoritative Cambodian regulatory records.
2019
Adjustment after Cambodia's online-gambling banStrategyBackground
Cambodia criminalized online gambling, affecting a business environment in which Prince Group-related interests had operated.
Action taken
The group's operating environment shifted away from unrestricted online-gambling expansion, although the available material does not document a complete restructuring plan.
Aftermath
The change was followed by the COVID-19 travel shock, which further weakened casino, tourism, and hospitality activity.
Recent events
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/prince-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled