O'SMACH — Five men from Madagascar agreed to intern at a casino in O'Smach, Cambodia, where they allege they were forced into cybercrime operations. The men reported experiencing physical abuse and being denied food and bathroom access.
The men stated they were forced to work long hours creating fake online profiles to lure individuals into scams. One man said, "We were forced to do a job that is an illegal job." Another man said, "They said if you do not work, we will kill you." The five men requested anonymity due to fear of identification by alleged traffickers. The internship opportunity was found through online advertisements or a teacher.
Cambodia passed legislation in April addressing cybercrime. "It is good that they finally have a law on the books." Author Cezary Podkul said. Podkul said, "The law is not the silver bullet that is going to solve this whole issue." Cambodian officials have stated they shut down approximately 190 scam compounds earlier this year and have made thousands of arrests related to scam operations, including high-ranking members of criminal syndicates.
The U.S. Department of Justice froze $700 million in alleged scam-related cryptocurrency in April. Americans are estimated to have lost $10 billion to Southeast Asian scam operations in 2024. U.S. officials seized a Telegram channel used to recruit workers for a forced labor compound in Cambodia. Released scam victims frequently lacked housing and transportation to return home, and many were placed in detention centers.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cambodian senator Kok An in April. U.S. Treasury officials accused An and 28 associated individuals and entities of defrauding Americans of millions of dollars through cryptocurrency romance scams. Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said, "We are waiting to see whether that will actually change the prevalence of scams in Cambodia." The estimated revenue from the local scam industry equals up to 60 percent of formal gross domestic product. An is an ally of former leader Hun Sen, who governed Cambodia for 38 years.