PHNOM PENH: The US has urged Cambodia to investigate the “masterminds” behind online scam operations and those who enable the criminal networks to flourish, as the Cambodian government reaffirmed its determination to eradicate technology-based fraud and deepen law enforcement cooperation with Washington.
The issue was raised during a Wednesday (Aug 12) meeting in Phnom Penh between Minister of Justice Koeut Rith and US embassy chargé d’affaires Aleks Zittle, with both sides highlighting cooperation against transnational crime and the implementation of Cambodia’s recently enacted Law on Combating Online Scams.
According to the US Embassy, Zittle discussed Cambodia’s implementation of the law and “underscored the importance of investigating and prosecuting the masterminds behind online scams and those who enable these operations to flourish”.
The emphasis places particular attention on accountability for those who organise, direct or facilitate scam operations, rather than solely on the individuals directly involved in carrying out fraudulent schemes.
The embassy announced that the two sides discussed the “extensive technical assistance” being provided by the US to help Cambodia counter transnational criminal groups operating online scam centres in the Kingdom.
“The US supports Cambodia’s fight against transnational crime, including online scams,” it said.
It added that Washington would continue working with Phnom Penh to strengthen law enforcement cooperation to protect US citizens and other victims from the criminal networks.
In its separate account of the meeting, the justice ministry said Rith briefed Zittle on the government’s efforts and its “unwavering commitment” to eliminating technology-based scam crime.
The ministry said both sides positively assessed existing cooperation between Cambodian and US law enforcement officials, particularly efforts targeting online scams and proliferation financing.
They agreed to continue strengthening dialogue and information-sharing between their respective law enforcement agencies to improve efforts against technology-based scams and money laundering, as well as the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The meeting comes several months after Cambodia introduced a dedicated legal framework targeting online scam operations amid increased domestic enforcement and international pressure to dismantle criminal networks operating in Southeast Asia.
Cambodia’s Law on Combating Online Scams was promulgated in April, with unanimous approval from all 112 lawmakers present at the National Assembly on March 30.
The legislation contains five chapters and 24 articles and creates five new criminal offences, including technology-based fraud, organising or leading an online scam centre, recruiting or training people to commit such crimes, illicit collection of personal identification information and a specific form of money laundering.
The legislation provides severe penalties for serious offences.
Depending on the circumstances, convictions can carry penalties of up to life imprisonment, fines reaching 1 billion riel, or about $250,000, as well as seizure of assets.
The provisions covering the organisation and leadership of scam centres are particularly relevant to the issue raised by Zittle, as authorities now have a specific criminal offence under which those accused of directing such operations can be pursued.
When the law was rolled out nationwide in April, Chhay Sinarith, permanent vice-chairman of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, instructed authorities in all 25 capital and provincial administrations to enforce it strictly, saying the objective was to eradicate the crime and prevent transnational scam operations from re-emerging in Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Manet has also repeatedly instructed authorities to continue the crackdown.
In May, he praised law enforcement agencies for results achieved but said challenges remained and ordered authorities to continue efforts without relaxation, describing the issue as one affecting Cambodia’s reputation and national image.
The August 12 discussion also follows a series of increasingly high-level contacts between Cambodian and US officials over transnational online fraud.
In July, FBI director Kash Patel visited Phnom Penh and met Manet as the two countries sought closer security cooperation against international scam operations.
Patel’s visit followed a US-Thailand co-hosted regional meeting involving representatives from nearly 20 countries focused on combating scam centres and associated transnational crime.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that scam operations caused losses of as much as US$114 billion across the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, while warning that criminal networks have adapted to enforcement pressure by relocating, dispersing or operating on a smaller scale.
Cambodia has maintained that it is intensifying enforcement and international cooperation to eliminate the industry, while international organisations have continued to raise concerns about the scale and persistence of scam operations.
In June, Amnesty International alleged that dozens of suspected scam compounds remained operational despite the crackdown and claimed some interventions had been undermined by apparent collusion.
The Cambodian government rejected the findings, with Sinarith describing the report as “selective, one-sided” and “lacking a full understanding of the government’s enforcement efforts”.
The government’s legal and enforcement response has nevertheless expanded significantly this year, with the new law providing prosecutors with specific offences aimed not only at online fraud itself but at the structures supporting scam centres. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
