Opposition leaders in Timor-Leste are questioning the acquisition of prime beachfront real estate for a proposed Timor-Leste cryptocurrency resort and demanding explanations for the issuance of a diplomatic passport to a Chinese businessman involved in the project.
- Opposition concerns center on the AB Digital Technology Resort’s alleged links to the sanctioned Prince Group.
- President José Ramos-Horta is facing pressure to explain a diplomatic passport granted to special adviser Lin Xiaofan.
- Lawmakers are calling for an investigation into how prime land near the capital’s airport was obtained.
Speaking in parliament in Dili, Fretilin opposition party MP Florentino Ximenes da Costa “Sinarai” raised concerns regarding the AB Digital Technology Resort. The project has been linked to individuals associated with the Prince Group, a multibillion-dollar Cambodian conglomerate.
In October 2025, U.S. authorities indicted Prince Group founder Chen Zhi on wire fraud and money laundering charges. The U.S. government described the group as one of the largest transnational criminal organizations in Asia, alleging it operated forced-labor scam compounds engaged in “industrial scale cyber fraud.”
As part of the crackdown, authorities seized $15 billion in bitcoin and froze assets in the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore. More than 100 business entities and 17 individuals were placed on a sanctions list due to alleged links to Chen. The Prince Group has denied all claims of criminality, describing the allegations as a “cash grab.”
Controversy Over Diplomatic Credentials
MP Ximenes da Costa urged President José Ramos-Horta to explain why diplomatic credentials were granted to Lin Xiaofan, a Chinese tech entrepreneur and the face of the resort project. Lin was appointed as a special adviser to the president on economic and commercial affairs last July.
President Ramos-Horta defended the decision, stating he hoped the businessman could attract investment into one of the world’s newest and most impoverished nations. A Timorese source described the issuance of the passport, which provides customs and visa privileges, as “highly unusual.”
Lin has denied any involvement with organized crime or the Prince Group. He is not currently under sanction nor accused of any criminality.
Investigation Into Land Acquisition
Ximenes da Costa also called on law enforcement agencies to investigate how the resort obtained prime beachfront land next to the airport. He suggested that the acquisition of such a large piece of land would have required the involvement of government institutions and “VIPs” in Timor-Leste.
The opposition MP stated that an investigation is necessary to ensure the country remains free from transnational criminal operations and corrupt high-ranking officials who could damage the nation’s international image.
Current shareholders in the resort project have denied any involvement with organized crime, claiming that associates of the Prince Group were dismissed immediately following the announcement of U.S. sanctions in October.
President Ramos-Horta acknowledged that Timor-Leste remains vulnerable to the dangers of transnational crime but stated he has seen no proof that such groups have infiltrated the country, dismissing reports based solely on media accounts.
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