Cambodia vows to go after the bosses behind online scam networks
Officials told an international meeting in Phnom Penh that the next step in the crackdown is to catch the people who run and protect scam compounds — but analysts say many operations are still active.
Cambodia will now focus on the people at the top of online scam networks, a senior official said on Thursday, as the country faces pressure to show that its year-long crackdown is working.
Speaking at an international conference in Phnom Penh, Chhay Sinarith, who heads the government's commission on combating fraud, said investigating the "mastermind, the co-conspirator, owner, enabler or protector" of scam operations takes time and needs strong evidence.
He said working with other countries was essential. "That's why it is of utmost importance for us to co-operate," he told delegates from more than a dozen countries, including the United States and China.
Critics remain doubtful
Not everyone is convinced the crackdown has changed much. John Wojcik, a senior analyst at blockchain research firm TRM Labs, said that while some operators have moved out, "many large compounds remain active" and the money networks behind them continue to work at a large scale.
Scam compounds in Southeast Asia have become a global problem. Americans alone lost an estimated $10 billion to scam operations in the region in 2024.
The most high-profile case so far is Chen Zhi, the Chinese-born founder of the Prince Group conglomerate, who was arrested and sent to China earlier this year. Prince Group is accused of fronting multibillion-dollar fraud operations.
Why it matters
Online scams have damaged Cambodia's image abroad and hurt tourism and investment. Catching the real bosses — not just low-level workers, many of whom are trafficking victims — will be the real test of whether the crackdown succeeds.
Source: Reuters
