The Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Pretoria handcuffed the man on Tuesday. Picture: Saps A 63-year-old Chinese fugitive who allegedly defrauded his government of more than R100 million and was hiding out in South Africa has been handed over to Chinese authorities. The South African Police Service (Saps) Interpol handed over Fujia Chen to a Chinese delegation at the OR Tambo International Airport on Friday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Chen is being extradited to China on fraud charges. “He allegedly defrauded the Chinese government of R120 million for running an unregistered foreign currency exchange business. Mathe said Chen fled to South Africa in 2021after his accomplices were arrested in China.
“He was hiding in South Africa up until he attempted to apply for a US visa. He was arrested and has been in custody for the past six months. “An extradition order was granted on 20 January 2026.
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He has been surrendered and is on a flight back to China, where he will stand trial for crimes committed,” Mathe said. “During a meeting with the Chinese delegation led by acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Khosi Senthumule, progress was made on the imminent arrest of 18 other Chinese fugitives who are hiding in SA. Eleven have been placed on Interpol’s red notice. In July 2025, Interpol circulated a Red Notice to all member countries to locate and provisionally arrest Chen.
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