Cambodia drafts sweeping anti-scam law: up to 30 years in prison and possible liability for local leaders

Government officials say the bill is meant to dismantle scam compounds and telecom/online fraud networks that have drawn international criticism, with harsh criminal penalties and provisions that could hold local authorities accountable if operations persist in their jurisdictions.

Cambodia has proposed far-reaching new legislation aimed at dismantling the country’s online scam industry, as authorities intensify a nationwide crackdown on fraud compounds that have operated across multiple provinces and targeted victims abroad. Officials say the draft law is intended to provide a stronger legal toolset to prevent, intercept and suppress technology-based scams, which have become a major source of international scrutiny in recent years.

According to reporting on the draft, offenders could face prison terms of up to 30 years and fines reaching as high as US$500,000, depending on the severity and structure of the crime. The same coverage says the bill would allow authorities to hold provincial/local leaders responsible if scam operations are found to be operating in their areas—an approach designed to increase accountability at the local level and reduce the space for protected “safe zones.”

The proposed framework is being positioned as part of a broader government push to close scam compounds that expanded rapidly during and after the pandemic, when criminal networks shifted from grey-area online gambling into industrial-scale fraud operations. In a separate update on enforcement, senior minister Chhay Sinarith said authorities have shut down nearly 200 scam centers in recent weeks, underlining that the legislative track is meant to support a longer-term clampdown rather than short, symbolic raids.

If adopted and enforced consistently, the bill would mark one of Cambodia’s toughest legal responses to telecom and online fraud—raising the cost of participation for organizers and enablers, while pushing responsibility down to local administrations. The next test will be whether the law is matched by sustained investigations into financing, recruitment and protection networks that allow scam hubs to restart after crackdowns.