Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said police were watching Zhang after news reports showed him apparently reviving his multi-level marketing business in Malaysia.

“His activities will be scrutinised. My officers will be studying the concept of his charity event,” Khalid told FMT in a WhatsApp message.

Khalid said Zhang would be barred from entering Malaysia if he was found to have breached any of its laws.

China Press, quoting sources, reported that the charity event hosted by YSLM, which stands for “Yun Shu Mao”, took place at a hotel in Selangor on Dec 29. The event reportedly featured posters similar to the huge billboards of Zhang’s image displayed in Penang in 2014.

The local vernacular daily reported the event was attended by hundreds of Chinese nationals and 150 cars were presented as gifts and incentives to YSLM members.

Zhang was last reported to have been in Thailand.

YSLM first came to prominence in 2014 amid a controversial allegation that the company could very well have been duping people out of money via pyramid and get-rich-quick schemes.

The same year, the domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism ministry claimed YSLM was a direct sales company that was not registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) and was operating without a ministry licence.

Zhang was also reportedly arrested in Thailand in late 2014 for allegedly cheating RM605 million from thousands in China, Malaysia and Thailand.