The Angeles, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 issued warrants of arrest against Cassandra Ong and other suspects for qualified human trafficking in connection with the alleged scam hub run by Lucky South 99, the Philippine National Police said1. The warrants were issued in May 20252.
Ong is the documented representative of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firm Lucky South 992. She had been cited in contempt by the House Quad Committee probing POGO-linked crimes on September 19, 2024, her second citation for allegedly lying about her school records, and was transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City on September 26 that year2. She was released during the transition from the 19th to the 20th Congress, at which point no case had been filed2.
Accounts of her whereabouts differ. Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spokesperson Winston Casio said Ong was last tracked in Japan, having left around January, and that an Interpol red notice had been issued for her3. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said travel records showed she was not in the Philippines and that the government's theory was she returned to Fujian, China1. Malacañang had earlier said Ong was in the Philippines1. The Department of Justice has offered a P1 million reward for information on her location1.
More than 50 people have been charged with qualified human trafficking over the alleged Lucky South 99 scam hub, according to the PNP, including former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque1. The Court of Appeals dismissed Ong's petition challenging the DOJ resolution that indicted her2.
"Unfortunately, because nung nakalabas siya saka lang na-file 'yung kaso, at large siya ngayon."
What it means for players
The case concerns the alleged operations of a POGO firm, not the legality of betting for individual customers. For anyone gambling in the Philippines, the practical relevance is that the hub at the center of the charges is the same kind of offshore-facing operation that has been linked to scam compound activity across Asia, as covered in our guide to gambling scams and safety in Asia. Players in the Philippines can check the current licensing and market position in our Philippines guide. Ong's case has no reported bearing on player funds, licenses or payouts at regulated operators, and no such effect has been reported.
What happens next
The warrants remain active2. The PAOCC said it will work with the National Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to track Ong and bring her back to the country3. Senator Risa Hontiveros called for Ong's passport to be canceled alongside the Interpol red notice3. Remulla said he was not hopeful China would cooperate, citing the absence of a repatriation agreement1. No date has been reported for further court action.
