Justice Minister Keut Rith says the law aimed to enhance the “cleaning operation” across the country.By AFP and ReutersPublished On 3 Apr 20263 Apr 2026Cambodia’s National Assembly has approved its first law targeting scam centres accused of defrauding foreigners of billions of dollars amid rising pressure to curb these illicit operations.Justice Minister Keut Rith on Friday said the law aimed to enhance the “cleaning operation” taking place across the country and ensure the centres do not return after the crackdown.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“This law is strict like the fishing net, strict to ensure we don’t have the online scams any more in Cambodia, strict in order to serve the interests of the Cambodian nation and people,” he told reporters, adding that the problem had impacted the economy, tourism and investment.The passage of the legislation aimed to “send a message to cyberscammers that Cambodia is not a place to do scams”, he said. The legislation will now go to Cambodia’s king for a final signature.The law lays out punishments of two to five years in prison and fines of up to $125,000 for those convicted of online scams.Sentences for those convicted of scams conducted by gangs or against many victims can be up to 10 years in prison and as much as $250,000 in fines. It also outlines penalties for those convicted of money laundering, gathering victims’ data or recruiting scammers.Ringleaders of cyberscam centres that engage in human trafficking, detentions and torture will now face prison sentences of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $500,000 under the law.Cambodia has not previously had legislation specifically targeting scams although suspects have been charged with offences like recruitment for exploitation, aggravated fraud and money laundering. Advertisement The …
