Cambodia’s National Assembly has enacted the country’s first comprehensive cybercrime law following ongoing global scrutiny of Southeast Asia’s expanding online scam operations. The new regulation, passed on April 3, 2026, is designed to directly address criminal centres facilitating large-scale online scams, which have reportedly impacted victims worldwide and caused major financial losses.
Parliament targets fraudsters with stricter legal framework
Lawmakers have introduced prison terms ranging from two to five years for convictions related to online fraud. Individual offenders can now face fines as high as $125,000 under the new framework.
For cases classified as gang-related fraud or those involving a large number of victims, sentences can increase to a maximum of 10 years in prison and fines can reach $250,000. These penalties mark a significant escalation in governmental response to the issue.
Justice Minister Keut Rith outlined how the new law complements ongoing enforcement activities. He stated it will empower authorities to step up a nationwide crackdown on underground scam operations and reinforce efforts to clean up the sector.
Keut Rith emphasised that the government’s objective is to prevent the resurgence of these scam centres, describing the legislation as “strict like the fishing net” to ensure online scam activities are eliminated in Cambodia.
The legislative rollout awaits only the King’s signature to become fully operational. Authorities have confirmed the law also establishes criminal penalties for money laundering, personal data trafficking, and recruiting participants into fraud networks.
Before this law, Cambodia had no specialised legislation against online scam operations, limiting enforcement to broader legal tools such as aggravated fraud charges and recruitment for exploitation. Officials claim the current legal effort addresses longstanding gaps in statutory coverage for digital crimes.
The Justice Ministry, led by Keut Rith, is responsible for the application of Cambodia’s law and policy over justice and anti-crime initiatives, with ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal response to cyber-related offences.
Detentions and sanctions follow recent law adoption
Enforcement against scam operations in Cambodia has recently intensified as authorities pursue both legislative and operational measures. On April 2, Cambodian police extradited Li Xiong, a former leader of a major financial conglomerate in Cambodia, to China. Li had been accused of laundering money for criminal networks.
This development follows the January arrest and extradition of Chen Zhi, a Chinese-Cambodian businessman, who is alleged to have orchestrated extensive online scam and money-laundering schemes. The case drew renewed attention to Cambodia’s links with international criminal enterprises.
International partners are also exerting renewed pressure. The United Kingdom recently imposed sanctions on those it described as operating Cambodia’s biggest scam centre and on a cryptocurrency marketplace alleged to have enabled the exchange of stolen personal data.
British officials asserted that these crackdowns are essential for disrupting criminal infrastructure across Southeast Asia. Multiple reports describe workers at these scam compounds as kept under confinement and coerced into fraudulent activities.
According to Cambodian officials, current enforcement is more extensive than earlier attempts. Numerous fraudulent sites have been closed, with senior organisers targeted for arrest. The latest actions contrast with Cambodia’s previous approach, which often downplayed the presence of these operations within its borders.
