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Multiple international companies and organizations in technology, telecommunications, gaming, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors

The person at the center of this case

Multiple international companies and organizations in technology, telecommunications, gaming, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors

Case
#532
SourceFBI WantedUpdated Mar 15, 2026
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Cold Case · Open
7 years waiting · since 2019

APT 41 GROUP

Justice for Multiple international companies and organizations in technology, telecommunications, gaming, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors — the trail went cold in 2019, but the truth hasn't.

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Key leads to think about

🎯
suspect
Lead #1

What is the current location and status of the five indicted Chinese nationals, and are any in custody?

🔍
evidence
Lead #2

What specific ransomware variants and attack methodologies did APT 41 employ across different target sectors?

📍
location
Lead #3

How was Chengdu 404 Network Technology Company connected to the defendants, and what role did it play in coordinating attacks?

APT 41, a Chinese hacking group, conducted sophisticated cyberattacks against hundreds of companies worldwide, including targets in telecommunications, technology, gaming, and government sectors across multiple continents. Five Chinese nationals—ZHANG Haoran, TAN Dailin, QIAN Chuan, FU Qiang, and JIANG Lizhi—were indicted in 2019 and 2020 on charges including unauthorized computer access, money laundering, fraud, and racketeering, with some allegedly employed by Chengdu 404 Network Technology Company. The case remains active as authorities work to locate and apprehend the defendants and dismantle their criminal infrastructure targeting global supply chains.

Case
#532
SourceFBI WantedUpdated Mar 15, 2026
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

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More leads to consider

Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.

💡
clue
Lead #4

Which supply chain vulnerabilities were exploited to gain access to hundreds of companies globally?

📞
contact
Lead #5

What international law enforcement cooperation exists between the FBI and authorities in China, Australia, and other affected nations?

Have information about any of these leads?

Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.

Official wording

Source Narrative

Caution: ZHANG Haoran , TAN Dailin , QIAN Chuan , FU Qiang , and JIANG Lizhi are all part of a Chinese hacking group known as APT 41 and BARIUM. On August 15, 2019, a Grand Jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Chinese nationals ZHANG Haoran and TAN Dailin on charges including Unauthorized Access to Protected Computers, Aggravated Identity Theft, Money Laundering, and Wire Fraud.

These charges primarily stemmed from alleged activity targeting high technology and video gaming companies, and a United Kingdom citizen. On August 11, 2020, a Grand Jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Chinese nationals QIAN Chuan , FU Qiang , and JIANG Lizhi on charges including Racketeering, Money Laundering, Fraud, Identity Theft, and Access Device Fraud.

These charges stem from their alleged unauthorized computer intrusions while employed by Chengdu 404 Network Technology Company. The defendants allegedly conducted supply chain attacks to gain unauthorized access to networks throughout the world, targeting hundreds of companies representing a broad array of industries to include: social media, telecommunications, government, defense, education, and manufacturing.

These victims included companies in Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan and Sweden. The defendants allegedly targeted telecommunications providers in the United States, Australia, China (Tibet), Chile, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The defendants allegedly deployed ransomware attacks and demanded payments from victims.

Timeline of Events

🕵️
2019-08-15

Initial Indictment

Grand Jury in the District of Columbia indicted ZHANG Haoran and TAN Dailin on charges of Unauthorized Access to Protected Computers, Aggravated Identity Theft, Money Laundering, and Wire Fraud targeting high technology and video gaming companies

🕵️
2020-08-11

Secondary Indictment

Grand Jury in the District of Columbia indicted QIAN Chuan, FU Qiang, and JIANG Lizhi on charges including Racketeering, Money Laundering, Fraud, Identity Theft, and Access Device Fraud related to supply chain attacks

Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case

Case Information

Incident:August 15, 2019
Last Updated:October 30, 2026

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Case Information

Incident:August 15, 2019
Last Updated:October 30, 2026