Cambodia Freezes Over $300 Million in Assets in Cyber Fraud Crackdown

Phnom Penh: Over the past year, Cambodian authorities have frozen over $300 million in US dollars in bank accounts and seized other related assets as part of a campaign against cyber fraud. This was announced by the secretariat of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Combating Cyber Fraud (ICCCF) in a report summarizing operational results from July 2025 to August 31, 2026. The ICCCF secretariat stated on August 2, 2026, that during this period of over one year, Cambodian authorities froze assets related to cyber fraud crimes. In addition to over $300 million in US dollars in bank accounts, other related assets are also undergoing freezing procedures and continuous assessment. This demonstrates the resolute enforcement of the law with legal measures to cut off the financial flow and proceeds of crime from criminal networks. Concurrently, judicial proceedings are actively underway to sentence offenders according to existing laws. Authorities have built and submitted a total of 446 cases to the courts, involving 3,927 defendants, including ringleaders and their accomplices, from 29 nationalities. Alongside prosecuting criminals, authorities have implemented strict legal measures against officials found to be involved. Four cases involving 15 suspects have been processed, including a deputy prosecutor general, a deputy director general of immigration, a deputy police commissioner of Phnom Penh, a former director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and several police and military officers. According to the report, specialized forces have rigorously followed government orders, conducting investigations and inspections at a total of 832 suspected locations, leading to crackdown operations at 663 sites. Furthermore, forces have suppressed and controlled 86 major "Scam Compounds," with authorities currently implementing procedures for their legal confiscation. The ICCCF secretariat emphasized, "Currently, there are no more large-scale cyber fraud locations in Cambodia." While some fraudulent activities continue, they have shifted to smaller, clandestine operations conducted from rented rooms, guesthouses, condominiums, private homes, vehicles, or cafes. The ICCCF secretariat noted that this evolution necessitates active cooperation and participation from all relevant parties, as well as the public, to monitor and provide information about suspicious locations so that authorities can take timely action. According to the report, during this cleanup operation, authorities detained nearly 30,000 suspects of 39 nationalities. Cambodian authorities have rescued and repatriated over 22,000 foreign nationals from 38 nationalities. Additionally, authorities have taken legal action against 27 casinos involved in cyber fraud crimes, revoking licenses for 18 casinos and suspending licenses for 9. Moreover, authorities are continuing strict inspections to take legal action against any casinos engaging in illegal online gambling or online sports betting. These are the results of actual law enforcement operations achieved within the framework of the national campaign to combat online scams. Concurrently, the government's efforts continue, with authorities still investigating, cracking down, and preparing strict legal procedures to eradicate this crime from Cambodia. Alongside this, Cambodian authorities welcome and once again appeal to the public and all parties to participate by providing information or clues about suspicious locations so that authorities can respond swiftly and collaborate effectively.