A 33-year-old man from Ghana spent nearly a year in Cambodia after being lured by the promise of a well-paying receptionist job. Upon arrival in November 2025, he was subjected to beatings and held captive until he could pay $6,000 for his freedom. He was reportedly beaten daily for a month and threatened with tasers and bats until a police raid in January. His left wrist remains broken, affecting his grip.
Online scam operations have proliferated in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos since the COVID-19 pandemic, forming a multibillion-dollar industry. Workers were often held in fortified complexes, unable to leave, and forced to carry out web-based scams. While some individuals knew they were participating in illegal activities, many, like the Ghanaian man, were deceived by false promises of high-paying jobs through human trafficking networks.
Cambodia was home to at least 182 confirmed scam locations, with evidence of roughly 300, according to CyberScamMonitor. The crackdown intensified in late 2025 amid international pressure following the death of a South Korean student involved in such an operation and a U.S. indictment of a conglomerate founder linked to a cryptocurrency scam.
Despite dismantling dozens of scam centers, Cambodia has faced criticism for not prosecuting the key figures behind the schemes or the elites allegedly facilitating them. The U.S. Congress has called for sanctions against Cambodian political and business elites connected to these operations.
Following the January raids, tens of thousands of former workers ended up in Phnom Penh, with many sleeping on the streets and facing potential harassment and detention. The Eos Collective, a nonprofit assisting stranded workers, noted that the Cambodian government often treats these individuals as offenders rather than screening them for signs of human trafficking.
In September, Cambodia stated it had dismantled all major scam compounds and was prosecuting related court cases. The following month, authorities reported seizing assets worth $1 billion from a scam network and requested Interpol's help in tracking 29 ringleaders. However, no evidence has been presented of action against high-level Cambodian elites involved.
The Ghanaian man, a university graduate, had been working as a farmer due to a lack of employment in his special education field. The job offer included a $1,000 monthly salary, accommodation, and food. After arriving, his passport and cellphone were confiscated, and he was pressured to sign a two-year contract, which he had not agreed to. When he refused to participate in scam activities, the demand for $6,000 was made.
After the crackdown, many workers who could afford tickets left, while others sought similar work elsewhere. Thousands remained stranded without means to return home. The Ghanaian man initially went to Phnom Penh, experiencing periods of homelessness and hunger. He was eventually detained at a center known as Mango 2 before being released and flown back to Ghana on October 14 with assistance from the Eos Collective, nearly a year after his arrival.
He expressed shame and worry about rebuilding his life, noting that he couldn't afford to travel to his family or even purchase phone data upon his return. He stated, "I'm still not with my family yet, because I couldn’t transport myself there. I'm still not safe yet."