The United States has announced sanctions against Cambodian Senator Kok An, who has close ties to Hun Sen, along with 28 other individuals and entities, alleging that they operated a transnational fraud network by leveraging political connections, and deceived American citizens out of millions of dollars.
The US Treasury Department stated that Kok An is suspected of providing protection for scam groups. These fraudsters lure victims through so-called “sweetheart scams,” using friendship or romance as bait and promising high returns, thereby tricking victims into transferring their savings in the form of cryptocurrency, which is ultimately misappropriated.
The statement said Kok An owns multiple businesses, including assets such as the “Crown Resort Hotel,” with some properties allegedly used as scam hubs. Authorities also revealed that some human trafficking victims were forced to participate in fraudulent activities within these scam compounds, defrauding American citizens under the threat of violence.
The US Treasury Secretary stated that combating fraud is one of the government’s top priorities, and that authorities will relentlessly pursue and crack down on such criminal networks, regardless of their location or how complex their backgrounds are.
This sanction action was carried out by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in coordination with an interagency anti-fraud task force. At the same time, charges have been filed against two suspects who allegedly operated scam centers in Myanmar and attempted to expand similar activities in Cambodia.
As of now, the Cambodian Embassy in the US has not yet responded to this matter.