On September 12, 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against Cambodian Senator and business tycoon Ly Yong Phat for his, “role in serious human rights abuse related to the treatment of trafficked workers subjected to forced labor in online scam centers.”
According to FBI statistics, the costliest consumer scams in America are cryptocurrency investment frauds, with almost $4 billion per year in reported losses. Most experts believe reported fraud represents approximately 10% of actual fraud. The large majority of this fraud comes from so-called “pig butchering” call centers in southeast Asia.
Today’s announcement represents the most significant victory in the fight against pig butchering to date. This victory would not have been possible without the diligent efforts of thousands Americans who took the time to contact their elected officials about this important issue.
In review, on June 20, the Fraud Victim Rights Organization (FVRO) joined with the Global Anti-Scam Organization (GASO), the Public International Cybercrime Disruption Organization (PICDO), The Eyewitness Project, Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS), and Intelligence for Good to urge the U.S. Government to impose these types of sanctions and to make it publicly clear that improved relations with the U.S. are contingent on closing scam call centers that defraud Americans. (This joint letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken can be viewed HERE.)
An excerpt from the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report regarding Cambodia is quoted below.
The Government of Cambodia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of [human] trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so…corruption and official complicity–including by high-level senior government officials–in trafficking crimes remained widespread and endemic during the reporting period; this included the exploitation of tens of thousands of victims in forced criminality in online scam operations in Cambodia. Officials actively impeded countervailing efforts, including reportedly undermining anti-trafficking law enforcement and victim protection efforts and dispelling reported accusations through minimization and denial in public messaging of the prevalence and severity of online scam operations, including reports of government complicity. Some senior government officials and advisors owned–either directly or through businesses–properties and facilities known to be utilized by online scam operators used to exploit victims in labor trafficking and financially benefitted directly from these crimes. Involvement of officials and economic elites resulted in selective and politically motivated enforcement of laws, inhibiting effective law enforcement action against trafficking crimes, which remained widespread during the year.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) requires the U.S. government to apply economic sanctions based on the above cited determination by the State Department. Yet the White House has chosen to waive TVPA sanctions against Cambodia for the past two years. A decision on a third annual sanction waiver is due by September 22.
As we savor this important victory, we should make a conscious commitment to continuing this fight. Hopefully, today’s announcement is only the first in a series of escalating actions designed make clear to every threat actor in every corner of the globe that targeting Americans for fraud will not be tolerated.
Please take the time today contact your elected representatives and tell them continuing and escalating sanctions and enforcement actions against scam call centers are critical to protecting Americans from the devastating impacts of transnational fraud.
State Department’s public comment line is 202-647-6575 (option 8).
The White House comment line can be reached at 202-456-1111.
Your U.S. Senators’ contact information can be found HERE.
Your U.S. Representatives’ contact information can be found HERE.
The Harris campaign’s volunteer form can be found HERE.
The Trump campaign’s volunteer form can be found HERE.
The State Department’s Cambodia Report can be found HERE.
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