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Multiple victims across technology, telecommunications, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors globally

The person at the center of this case

Multiple victims across technology, telecommunications, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors globally

Case
#532
SourceFBI WantedUpdated Mar 15, 2026
International (multiple countries including United States, Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Sweden, and others)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Justice
Cold Case · Open
6 years waiting · since 2019

APT 41 GROUP

Justice for Multiple victims across technology, telecommunications, government, defense, education, and manufacturing sectors globally — the trail went cold in 2019, but the truth hasn't.

Start here

Key leads to think about

🎯
suspect
Lead #1

What is the current location and operational status of the five indicted APT 41 members, particularly their connection to Chengdu 404 Network Technology Company?

🔍
evidence
Lead #2

How did APT 41 conduct supply chain attacks to compromise hundreds of organizations across multiple continents, and what technical tools and infrastructure remain active?

📍
location
Lead #3

Which specific telecommunications providers in the United States and Asia-Pacific were targeted, and what sensitive data or network access was compromised?

APT 41, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group, conducted sophisticated cyber attacks targeting hundreds of companies globally across technology, telecommunications, government, and defense sectors from 2019 onward. Five Chinese nationals—ZHANG Haoran, TAN Dailin, QIAN Chuan, FU Qiang, and JIANG Lizhi—were indicted on charges including unauthorized computer access, identity theft, money laundering, racketeering, and ransomware deployment. The group remains at large, and investigators continue seeking information about their operational infrastructure, victim networks, and financial flows to dismantle this transnational cyber threat.

Case
#532
SourceFBI WantedUpdated Mar 15, 2026
International (multiple countries including United States, Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Sweden, and others)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Justice

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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

What financial institutions or payment channels were used to launder ransomware payments and proceeds from cyber extortion schemes?

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

First Indictment Returned

Grand Jury in the District of Columbia indicted ZHANG Haoran and TAN Dailin on charges of unauthorized computer access, identity theft, money laundering, and wire fraud targeting high technology and video gaming companies

🕵️
2020-08-11

Second Indictment Returned

Grand Jury in the District of Columbia indicted QIAN Chuan, FU Qiang, and JIANG Lizhi on charges of racketeering, money laundering, fraud, identity theft, and access device fraud related to supply chain attacks

Case Information

Incident:August 15, 2019
Last Updated:June 14, 2026

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Case Information

Incident:August 15, 2019
Last Updated:June 14, 2026