Cambodia’s senate backs first cyber fraud law

The Senate of Cambodia has unanimously approved the country’s first dedicated law targeting cyber fraud, marking a significant escalation in efforts to dismantle scam centres linked to global criminal networks.

The Law on Anti-Technology Fraud was passed on 3 April 2026, following a unanimous vote in the National Assembly of Cambodia just days earlier. The legislation will now be sent to Norodom Sihamoni for final approval.

Justice Minister Koeut Rith said the law is intended to act as a comprehensive crackdown on online scams, describing it as “strict like a fishing net” to ensure such operations are eliminated.

Severe penalties for organised fraud

The legislation introduces tough penalties for a wide range of offences, including so-called “pig butchering” scams, human trafficking for forced labour, and cryptocurrency-based money laundering.

Leaders of scam operations face prison sentences ranging from 15 to 30 years, with life imprisonment possible in cases where victims die as a result of the crimes. Ringleaders involved in trafficking or torture could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000. The law also targets those involved in supporting activities such as recruiting victims or facilitating illicit financial flows.

Crackdown intensifies

Authorities say the new framework builds on an ongoing nationwide crackdown. Since June 2025, the government has deported more than 30,000 suspected foreign scammers and shut down around 200 illegal sites.

Officials aim to eliminate all identified scam centres in the coming weeks as part of efforts to restore Cambodia’s international reputation.

Regional pressure and global scrutiny

The move comes amid growing international pressure on Cambodia to tackle cyber fraud networks that have proliferated across Southeast Asia.

Recent sanctions by the United Kingdom and scrutiny from global organisations have highlighted the scale of operations, many of which are linked to cross-border criminal syndicates and allegations of human exploitation.

Recently, a network of fraudsters with headquarters in Cambodia and a connected cryptocurrency marketplace was sanctioned by the UK. Authorities presented proof that these organised networks are conducting extensive fraud, including manipulation schemes and fictitious investments, targeting victims worldwide. Operating on an industrial scale, the processes are characterised as sophisticated and structured.

Rise of scam centres in Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asia, scam compounds have grown into enormous, well-organised enterprises that are devoted to fraud and resemble corporate campuses. Due to a lack of oversight, growing casino zones, and international criminal networks, Cambodia has developed into a major hub. Money-laundering networks, security teams, and recruitment pipelines are examples of the support structures that have developed around them over time.

The #8 Park compound in Cambodia shows the extent of this problem. Built to house up to 20,000 workers, it functions like a city devoted to scams. Workers are divided into roles like a corporate office, handling outreach, financial transactions, or creating fake identities to sustain online personas. Technology and psychological tactics are used to maximise efficiency.

Pig butchering scams are frauds where perpetrators convince people to put their money into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Last year, the US Treasury cracked down on a Philippines-based company, Funnull Technology Inc., accusing it of enabling online fraud on a massive scale, dubbed “pig butchering.” The sanctions came as the US officials found that the company operates out of the Philippines and has been supplying cybercriminals with digital infrastructure, specifically, by acquiring bulk internet protocol (IP) addresses and redistributing them to scammers.