The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has highlighted growing cooperation with Cambodian authorities in efforts to combat online scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia. The agency described the level of access granted to investigators as “unprecedented.”
Speaking during a virtual press briefing hosted by the U.S. Department of State’s Asia Pacific Media Hub on June 10, FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey said the agency is working closely with Cambodia’s Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS). Their goal is to disrupt criminal networks linked to large-scale fraud operations.
Intelligence Sharing Supports Enforcement Efforts
According to Bailey, the FBI’s Legal Attaché (LEGAT) office in Phnom Penh has developed a close working relationship with Cambodian authorities. The focus is on intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions.
“Our LEGAT office in Cambodia has worked closely with the Cambodian Commission for Combating Online Scams, or CCOS, in order to share intelligence and dismantle the scam centers there,” Bailey said.
He added that access granted to investigators following raids on scam compounds has provided valuable evidence and operational insights.
“CCOS has provided our LEGAT with unprecedented access to raided scam compounds.”
Bailey described the evidence recovered during investigations as “remarkable” and said cooperation between both sides is expected to continue expanding.
Focus on Criminal Networks Behind Scam Operations
The comments came in response to questions regarding Cambodia’s ongoing crackdown on scam compounds. There are also concerns surrounding individuals accused of operating large-scale fraud networks.
Rather than focusing solely on individual locations, Bailey said the FBI’s strategy targets the broader criminal ecosystem supporting scam operations.
The agency is pursuing an intelligence-led approach aimed at identifying key organizers, financial facilitators, and network operators responsible for coordinating fraudulent activities. These actions take place across multiple jurisdictions.
According to Bailey, investigators are focused on dismantling the critical “linchpins” that allow these operations to function and expand.
Growing U.S. Concern Over Southeast Asian Scam Centers
The remarks reflect increasing concern within the United States regarding scam compounds operating throughout Southeast Asia.
Authorities have linked many of these operations to large-scale fraud schemes targeting victims worldwide, including U.S. citizens. Criminal groups are often accused of running investment scams, cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and other forms of online deception.
In April, the U.S. Department of Justice announced actions through its Scam Center Strike Force targeting Southeast Asian criminal organizations. These groups are allegedly responsible for defrauding Americans of billions of dollars.
Those efforts included the seizure of a Telegram channel reportedly used to recruit trafficking victims. These victims were forced to work in scam compounds located in Cambodia.
Links to Human Trafficking and Financial Crime
Bailey emphasized that scam compounds are not limited to online fraud and frequently involve broader forms of transnational organized crime.
According to the FBI, many operations are associated with human trafficking, money laundering, cryptocurrency-related financial crime, and other illicit activities. These activities extend beyond national borders.
The agency views these compounds as part of a wider criminal infrastructure. This infrastructure exploits both victims of fraud and individuals forced to work within the operations.
Cooperation Expected to Continue
The FBI said it will continue expanding cooperation with Cambodian authorities. This is part of ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle scam networks operating in the region.
Bailey noted that protecting victims and targeting the criminal organizations behind these schemes remain key priorities for the agency.
As governments across Southeast Asia intensify enforcement actions against cyber-enabled crime, international cooperation is increasingly becoming a central component. These joint efforts aim to combat the rapidly evolving threat posed by online scam compounds and related criminal enterprises.
