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Cambodia Senate Approves Law Targeting Cyberscam Ringleaders With Life Terms
Ringleaders of scam centres could get up to 20 years or life if their operations cause death, the justice minister said.
On Friday, April 3, 2026, the Cambodian Senate approved the nation's first law targeting cyberscam ringleaders, aiming to "send a message to cyber scammers that Cambodia is not a place to do scams."
Operated out of fortified compounds, the global cyberscam industry has reached "industrial proportions," with annual revenues hitting $64 billion, prompting international pressure and sanctions against Cambodia as a regional hotspot.
Ringleaders involved in human trafficking, detention, and torture face up to 20-year prison sentences and a fine of S$644,000; if operations lead to the death of one or more people, scam centre bosses face life in prison.
Justice Minister Keut Rith described the law as a "cleaning operation" to ensure scam centers do not return, while Cambodia recently extradited figures Chen Zhi and Xiong to China amid crackdowns.
While officials pledged to close all centers by end of April, analysts remain skeptical the new law will fully stamp out the industry; Cambodia denies government complicity despite State Department claims of senior-level obstruction.