FBI Director Kash Patel met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday in Phnom Penh to discuss joint efforts against international online scam operations that defraud victims of billions of dollars annually. The discussions focused on strengthening security cooperation between the two nations to combat this growing transnational cybercrime.
According to a report released Tuesday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, scam operations resulted in estimated losses of up to $114 billion in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025. The report also noted that as authorities target large-scale scam centers, criminals are adapting by relocating or reducing the size of their operations.
Patel's visit to Cambodia followed a summit in neighboring Thailand, co-hosted by the U.S., which addressed scam centers and involved representatives from nearly 20 countries and hundreds of law enforcement officials. In Thailand, Patel met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss cooperation on tackling scam centers and other transnational crimes, including human and drug trafficking, with an emphasis on information sharing and intelligence exchanges.
Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia and Myanmar, has become a hub for cybercrime due to weaker law enforcement capabilities. These scam centers are also frequently linked to human trafficking, with thousands of foreign nationals recruited under false pretenses for roles in "romance" and cryptocurrency scams, only to be subjected to near-slavery conditions.
The U.S. Embassy in Cambodia stated that the proliferation of these operations in the country is a "top priority for the U.S. government." Washington has expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Hun Manet's commitment to addressing the issue and is working closely with the Cambodian government. Patel's visit underscores the importance of robust joint efforts to combat transnational cybercrime, including holding scam bosses accountable and improving information sharing regarding complicit officials and property owners associated with scam compounds.
The U.S. also fully supports initiatives to ensure victims receive justice and that online scam operators, their enablers, protectors, and those complicit in related human trafficking crimes are held accountable. Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on his Telegram social media account that Cambodia will host an international conference on combating cyber scams in September.