Cambodia Greenlights Proposed Legislation to Combat Cyber Fraud
The Cambodian government authorized a proposed law on Friday that will impose severe penalties on scammers operating cyberschemes, according to reports.
Cambodia has become a hub for criminal organizations operating a multibillion-dollar fraud sector that entices internet users worldwide into phony romantic partnerships and cryptocurrency schemes.
Predominantly situated in Southeast Asia, the international cyberscam sector has attained "industrial scale," with annual revenue estimates soaring up to $64 billion, as reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
Among the hundreds of thousands perpetrating scams in the area, some are trafficked and coerced, while others participate willingly.
The proposed legislation, designed to eliminate cross-border cyberscam activities, received approval at a cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, according to Information Minister Neth Pheaktra.
He stated that the proposed legislation, which will be submitted to parliament shortly for ratification, aims to "eradicate online fraud from Cambodian land."
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Legislators from the governing party control both chambers of parliament, making it likely that the proposed law will be approved without difficulty.
"Neth Pheaktra stated that Cambodia is neither a paradise nor a refuge for criminals, emphasizing that the government's effort to combat scammers will persist."
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Leaders of cyber scam operations will receive prison sentences ranging from five to ten years and may be fined up to one billion riels ($245,996) according to the new legislation.
According to the draft law reviewed by AFP, individuals could receive sentences of 10 to 20 years and fines reaching 2 billion riels ($491,992) if their activities are deemed to include violence, torture, confinement, human trafficking, or forced labor.
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According to the draft law, cybercrime leaders could receive sentences of 15 to 30 years or life in prison if their actions result in one or more fatalities.
For minor fraudsters, cyberscamming can lead to a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years and a penalty of up to one billion riels if carried out by an organized group and involving multiple victims.