Taiwanese Fugitive ‘The Eel’ Shot Dead in Cambodia

• Taiwanese fugitive tied to 88 Club scandal killed in Cambodia
  
• Police probe targeted shooting linked to gambling finance networks
  
• Case exposed links between underground banking, police, and elites

A slippery Taiwanese organized crime figure known as “The Eel” was shot dead on Monday night in Sihanoukville, a Cambodian casino hub.

At the time of his death, Lin Bingwen was on the run from the law, having been charged in Taiwan in connection with a large-scale money laundering operation linked to the so-called “88 Club.”

The 88 Club was a high-stakes gambling hub in Taipei, comprising a network of wealthy bettors, underground bankers, and well-connected intermediaries who used the discreet private club to move money, extend credit, and broker deals outside the regular financial system.

In mid to late 2023, a series of police raids on the club revealed members of the network involved senior police officers and other establishment figures, sparking a political scandal in Taiwan.

Motive Unclear

Cambodian authorities said Lin was targeted by multiple gunmen as he was out walking his dog in Sihanoukville where he had been living since fleeing his homeland. They said he was shot multiple times at close range, execution style. The suspects appeared to have tracked his movements in advance, and police said they were treating the killing as premeditated.

Authorities have detained suspects, reported in regional media as including at least one Taiwanese national and at least one Chinese national.The motive remains unclear.

He was not a visible, official executive owner, but Taiwanese reporting indicates he acquired or controlled the team behind the scenes and used that position to orchestrate match fixing.

Lin was later found guilty of fixing seven games to win bets and was sentenced to two years in prison for fraud, which would ultimately be commuted to a large fine.

On the Lam

When it came to the money laundering and underground banking charges related to the 88 Club case, he didn’t wait around to be convicted. Li fled in 2023 while still on bail.

Sihanoukville was the perfect destination for a man of his skills and connections – an offshore enclave known for gambling, informal finance, and weak oversight, where he could continue to operate beyond the reach of Taiwanese law enforcement – but apparently not beyond the reach of his enemies.