Cambodia advances a scam center law with penalties of up to life in prison

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian lawmakers on Monday unanimously adopted a new law targeting online scam operations with up to life in prison, following a government pledge to shut them down by the end of April.

All 112 members of parliament present voted to approve the legislation, which marks Cambodia’s first legal framework specifically aimed at a lucrative, illicit industry that has transformed the country into a global hub for cybercrime.

The scam operations typically involve bogus investment schemes and feigned romances that collectively extort tens of billions of dollars from victims around the world every year.

Justice Minister Keut Rith noted that thousands of people, especially from other Asian nations, are lured with fraudulent job offers and forced to work in scam centers in conditions of near-slavery,

Keut Rith told lawmakers that these crimes threaten public security and significantly damage Cambodia’s global reputation.

The legislation awaits review by the Senate and final approval by King Norodom Sihamoni.

Directing what’s described as a technology fraud site would carry five to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000. For cases involving human trafficking, illegal confinement or violence, the prison term is 10 to 20 years.

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If a worker dies, as is often associated with failed escape attempts, offenders face 15 to 30 years or even life imprisonment.

Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who leads the Commission for Combating Online Scams, recently announced that authorities have targeted 250 suspected locations since July, successfully shutting down 200.

He said the enforcement efforts resulted in 79 legal cases against nearly 700 ringleaders and associates. Over the same period, the government has repatriated nearly 10,000 scam center workers from 23 countries.

Experts are skeptical. Jacob Sims, a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center, pointed out in response to Chhay Sinarith’s remarks that past crackdowns often failed because they left financial and protection networks intact, allowing criminal operations to quickly start again.