7 to Watch: Sheldon Zhang
Wanted: Innovative entrepreneur with international experience and expert knowledge of interactive technology.
Not the words of a recruiter looking for a capable employee, the above describes the needs of law enforcement officials who find themselves always two steps behind Chinese organized crime.
Known for pulling off elaborate transnational human smuggling operations and financial crimes, such as credit card fraud and money launderings, these crafty perpetrators have long subverted justice.
“Government agencies have traditionally focused on uncovering a large, well-organized criminal entity,” said SDSU Sociology professor Sheldon Zhang. “It makes sense, intuitively; but we interview the criminals and find that most Chinese organized crime is done by enterprising agents.”
One of a handful of people specializing in transnational organized crime, Zhang does potentially dangerous work interviewing criminals and observing their tactics. His research helps officials undermine criminal schemes that bilk innocent people of millions of dollars.
