Ping On
| Founded | 1970s |
|---|---|
| Founder | Stephen "Sky Dragon" Tse |
| Founding location | Boston, MA |
| Years active | 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s |
| Territory | Boston |
| Ethnicity | Asian |
| Leader(s) | Stephen Tse / John Willis |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, arms trafficking, fraud, prostitution, human trafficking, illegal gambling, money laundering, extortion, murder, illegal immigration, and racketeering [1][2] |
| Allies | 14K Triad, Hung Mong |
| Notable members | Stephen Tse, John Willis |
The Ping On triad were a Boston-based criminal organization. The organization rose to power in the 1970s and continued to operate throughout the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.[3] The Ping On was founded by Stephen "Sky Dragon" Tse who had heavy ties to the infamous 14K Triad in Hong Kong [1]
History
The Ping On were regarded as a "farm team" for the 14K Triad in Hong Kong. The ambition of Stephen Tse was to come to Boston to set up another hub on the east coast of the United States. However, it was not directly affiliated with 14K despite Stephen Tse having a history with them. The organization had several allies in the late 1980s including the Hung Mong which were in operation in New York City.[4]
The Ping On are also famous for being the only triad group led by a white American man, John Willis.[citation needed]
In 1984, Stephen Tse was jailed for refusing to cooperate with authorities in regards to Asian organized crime in the city.[1] During this time, a large amount of Vietnamese refugees had moved to Boston, in particular Chinatown. When Stephen Tse was released from jail in 1986, the landscape of organized crime was much different, and not nearly as one sided as it was when he was last free. In 1991, the first major homicide had occurred in a Boston Chinatown gambling den. Five men were killed execution style as a turf war had broken out in the neighborhood between different factions of gangs vying for power [1]
References
- ^ a b c d "In the Shadow of the Dragon - Boston Magazine". 15 May 2006.
- ^ "The White Devil Kingpin". 18 February 2015.
- ^ "Boston Drug Baron White Devil John Transcends Gangster Stereotypes - The Gangster Report". 15 February 2015.
- ^ "The White Devil Kingpin". 18 February 2015.