Hongping Xiao
Party not recorded
Legal status
Charged
charged
What this means: A prosecutor has formally accused the person of an offence. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt.
Profile
Chinese national reported as CEO of Bankers Petroleum Albania. Reported as arrested in July 2025 in the tax and money-laundering probe. Reports say he is held in pre-trial detention; in one report he is the only defendant in pre-trial detention. He and former executive Leonidha Cobo asked the Tirana GJKKO for release, according to Shqiptarja.
Response from Hongping Xiao
Company says it is cooperating and disputes the allegations; no personal statement by Xiao was found in the sources reviewed.
Related cases
Sorted by reported money, then by linked people and their legal status. The money figure is the largest single reported figure, not a total.
From 4 Jul 2025
Bankers Petroleum Albania: 2025 tax-evasion and money-laundering probe (Fier prosecution, later SPAK)
In early July 2025 Albanian prosecutors issued 14 precautionary measures and arrested nine people linked to Bankers Petroleum Albania, as part of a probe into alleged VAT fraud, concealment of…
Status: Under investigation. Investigation deadlines extended by three months (reported). No indictment or trial found in sources reviewed.
A case listed here names this person. It does not mean they are accused in it; read the case page.
Connections
Open the map →CEO of Bankers Petroleum Albania (reported)
Evidence: Shqiptarja and intellinews name Xiao as the company's CEO in the 2025 probe.
What they said vs. what the documents show
What was said · Jul 2025
The company (Bankers Petroleum Albania) says it is cooperating, disputes the allegations, has retained legal teams, and argues its rights as a foreign investor are being violated. Attributed to the company; Xiao's personal statement not found.
Speaker: Hongping Xiao
Albania issues arrest warrants in tax, money laundering probe targeting Bankers Petroleum (opens in a new tab)Intellinews · Jul 2025 · journalism · EN
What the documents show
Prosecutors' allegations (inflated expenses to report losses, VAT refunds) are documented as allegations in the General Prosecution statement as reported; no court finding yet. Earlier ICC award (June 2024) favoured Albania on cost-recovery points.
- ICC rules in favour of Albania in Bankers Petroleum dispute (opens in a new tab)SeeNews · Jun 2024 · journalism · EN
Timeline
Police
Prosecutors issue 14 precautionary measures and arrest nine linked to Bankers Petroleum Albania
Tax-evasion and money-laundering probe. Charges named include VAT fraud, concealment of income, laundering and abuse of office. Company denies wrongdoing.
Linked: Bankers Petroleum Albania: 2025 tax-evasion and money-laundering probe (Fier prosecution, later SPAK) · Hongping Xiao
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 3 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 2 sources
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja.com
- Date
- unknown
- Publisher
- Intellinews
- Date
- Jul 2025
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 1 source
- Publisher
- SeeNews
- Date
- Jun 2024