Prince Holding Group Rejects as False Humanity Research Consultancy’s Report, “Policies and Patterns: State-Abetted Transnational Crime in Cambodia as a Global Security Threat” by Jacob Sims (May 2025)
Prince Holding Group (“PHG”) is aware that a UK company, Humanity Research Consultancy, recently released a report by freelance activist Jacob Sims, title “Policies and Patterns: State-Abetted Transnational Crime in Cambodia as a Global Security Threat”. This report contains a number of false and defamatory claims which PHG rejects in its entirety.
Jacob Sims as an individual has written a number of reports falsely accusing PHG of criminal acts without basis. Like many of his former works, his latest report relies on conjecture, anonymous “sources” and discredited reports authored by Jacob and his own associates. Its key claims are addressed below:
1. Accusation of Criminal Identity
The report labels Chairman Chen Zhi as a “notorious PRC-originating organised criminal,” a “scam-invested oligarch,” and a “legally embattled” tycoon. It also claims that Prince Group is a “notorious transnational online gambling criminal group.”
Our Response: These are defamatory assertions made without evidence or court rulings. They appear to be recycled from articles by the same individual for a Radio Free Asia, an organisation formerly funded by the USA government to generate geopolitical influence. Radio Free Asia has been discredited by institutions including the World Bank and the Hong Kong Police Force.
2. Use of Anonymous Commentary as Fact
The report quotes unnamed sources asserting:
“Chen Zhi and Prince play hardball… He’s at the very top of the pyramid… No one in the country wants to go after him… The Cambodian state is telling the Chinese state ‘He’s too important, don’t touch him.’”
Our Response: These quotes are anonymous and therefore unverifiable. Unless the person who made these allegations is identified, there is no way to tell if Jacob Sims has simply made these quotes up. In any event, relying on rumors to level an accusation against PHG violates the fundamental standards of responsible reporting and research and undermines the credibility of the Report. For the avoidance of doubt, PHG denies the incredulous allegation that the Cambodian government has instructed the Chinese government not to prosecute PHG.
3. Unsupported Claim of Diplomatic Non-Enforcement
The report’s suggestion that Mr. Chen Zhi is shielded from Chinese law enforcement by Cambodian authorities relies almost entirely on a single anonymous quote claiming: “The Cambodian state is telling the Chinese state ‘He’s too important, don’t touch him,’ and so far, they’ve listened.”
Moreover, the report provides no evidence of any Chinese court order, arrest warrant or official statement to support the notion that Mr. Chen is “wanted” or under active pursuit.
Our Response: This quote is unverified, uncorroborated, and offered without any supporting documentation — yet it serves as the linchpin for the report’s broader claim of diplomatic non-enforcement. Absent this speculative remark, the narrative alleging that Mr. Chen is protected from Chinese investigation by Cambodian influence would fall apart. Relying on hearsay from anonymous sources while failing to present verifiable legal facts severely undermines the report’s credibility and highlights its dependence on conjecture over substance.
4. Reliance on Discredited and Biased Sources
Many of the allegations trace back to prior claims published by Radio Free Asia and The Diplomat — both of which have been publicly rebutted by Prince Holding Group.
These include:
● Feb 6, 2024 – Joint Statement rebutting RFA’s money laundering accusations.
● Feb 9, 2024 – Denial of “offshore dealings” allegations.
● Feb 15, 2024 – Refutation of The Diplomat’s character attacks.
● Dec 10, 2024 – Clarification rejecting cyber-scam claims.
Our Response: These statements remain publicly accessible and reflect Prince Holding Group’s commitment to transparency and the facts. Repeating previously debunked claims without evidence is dishonest, unfair and defamatory.
We caution all media, researchers, and institutions against citing or redistributing allegations from the Policies and Patterns report without rigorous fact-checking and verification.
Prince Holding Group remains committed to operating its business with integrity and transparency and will not tolerate the publication of misinformation about the group.
Prince Holding Group
