The National Assembly of Cambodia has approved a new law targeting online scams, with severe penalties of up to 30 years or life imprisonment for scam leaders. The legislation received unanimous support from 112 lawmakers present. According to the law, individuals running online scam operations that result in deaths could face between 15 to 30 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Ringleaders of online scam centers may be sentenced to five to 10 years in prison and fined up to 1 billion riels ($250,000). If their activities involve violence, torture, illegal confinement, human trafficking, or forced labor, the penalties increase to 10 to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to 2 billion riels ($500,000). Those involved in online scams could face imprisonment ranging from two to five years along with a fine of up to 500 million riels ($125,000).
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Koeut Rith highlighted that Cambodia, like other countries in the region, has been targeted by criminals running online scams. He emphasized that such crimes not only impact public security and order but also tarnish Cambodia’s reputation internationally. The new law aims to strengthen efforts against online scams to safeguard security, public order, and enhance cooperation in combating such criminal activities.
The draft bill will undergo a final review by the Senate before being presented to King Norodom Sihamoni for approval. Cambodia has initiated a widespread crackdown on cyber scam networks to uphold social security, safety, and public order, aiming to restore its international standing. The country has set a goal to eliminate all online scam centers by April this year. In February, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha disclosed that Cambodia had deported over 30,000 suspected foreign scammers, with an additional 210,000 voluntarily leaving the country following intensified operations against online scams.
