Cambodia’s arrest and extradition of tycoon Chen Zhi marks a rare strike against a massive online scam network. U.S. and U.K. authorities say Chen led a criminal enterprise exploiting trafficked workers and defrauding victims worldwide. The scams often start small, with texts offering part-time jobs.
The Afternoon WirePhotos from Minneapolis where an ICE officer killed a motorist during an immigration crackdownUS seeks to assert its control over Venezuelan oil with tanker seizures and sales worldwideEx-Texas star, NFL receiver Jordan Shipley hospitalized with severe burns from accident on his ranchAttorney for Rob Reiner's son resigns but says his client is not guilty of murder under state lawMexico becomes crucial fuel supplier to Cuba but pledges no extra shipments after Maduro toppledRaccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floorGiant trolls have a message for humans about protecting the planetSome people tape their mouths shut at night.
Doctors wish they wouldn'tWhy ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationshipEPA says it will propose drinking water limit for perchlorate, but only because court ordered itNew dietary guidelines urge Americans to avoid processed foods and added sugarSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tUS ice cream makers say they'll stop using artificial dyes by 2028Pope convenes cardinals and asks their priorities for 2 years, with Latin Mass off the agendaTrump exits 66 international organizations in latest retreat from global cooperationICE officer kills a Minneapolis driver in a deadly start to Trump's latest immigration operationUS will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperationNo snow, no problem: The plastic slope surrounded by sheep that produced Britain's top skierAn eventful first week in his job for CBS News' Tony Dokoupil, maybe not as intendedAP Entertainment WireViral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrasesAuto shop owner who paid worker in 91,500 oily pennies ordered to pay nearly $40,000 moreMobility exercises are an important part of fitness as we age. Here are some tipsTrying to improve your health and wellness in 2026? Keep it simpleThe World in PicturesA rare whale is having an encouraging season for births. Scientists warn it might still go extinctMore beans and less red meat: Nutrition experts weigh in on US dietary guidelinesUS cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child, a move slammed by physiciansHerbs grown indoors require extra care. Here are some tipsEEUU amplía lista de países cuyos ciudadanos deben pagar hasta 15.000 dólares en fianza para visasFILE -India nationals, believed to have worked at scam center in Myanmar, board a plane at Thailand’s Mae Sot International Airport in Tak, before being sent back to India Nov. 6, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. A boy plays near a building, where some people trafficked under false pretenses are being forced to work in online scams targeting people all over the world, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 9, 2025. FILE -India nationals, believed to have worked at scam center in Myanmar, board a plane at Thailand’s Mae Sot International Airport in Tak, before being sent back to India Nov. 6, 2025. FILE -India nationals, believed to have worked at scam center in Myanmar, board a plane at Thailand’s Mae Sot International Airport in Tak, before being sent back to India Nov. 6, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centers, sit with their faces masked while in detention after being released from the centers in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar, Feb. 26, 2025. A boy plays near a building, where some people trafficked under false pretenses are being forced to work in online scams targeting people all over the world, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 9, 2025. A boy plays near a building, where some people trafficked under false pretenses are being forced to work in online scams targeting people all over the world, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 9, 2025. marks a rare strike against an industry that has stolen tens of billions of dollars worldwide. U.S. and U.K. authorities say Chen Zhi led a transnational criminal enterprise that exploited trafficked workers and defrauded victims worldwide.often start small: a text offering a part-time job, asking about weekend availability or simply saying “hello.” On the other end is often a laborer halfway around the world, forced to work 12- to 16-hour days, sending message after message until someone responds. That human toll is immense. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be trapped in forced labor, housed in sprawling compounds across Southeast Asia and compelled to run scams whose sole purpose is to take your money.About 1,500 laborers crossed into Thailand, including hundreds from India KK Park was only one of dozens of such centers along the Thai-Myanmar border — and hundreds more scattered across Southeast Asia — underscoring how difficult it is to dismantle an industry that can quickly shift operations when under pressure.Scam compounds are often sprawling complexes in rural areas, complete with sleeping quarters, shops and entertainment venues for workers. Developers typically build a single property and lease space inside to multiple companies, allowing numerous operations to run side by side. Many operate with the protection of local elites. Smaller setups also exist, tucked into a single floor of a legitimate office building or even a rented house in an urban neighborhood. The centers trace their roots to casinos — both physical and online — that proliferated across Southeast Asia over the past decade. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime counted more than 340 licensed and unlicensed casinos in the region in 2021 alone. Those casinos, often paired with junket tours, catered to high-rollers from China, where gambling is illegal, and were frequently run by Chinese criminal groups. When the COVID-19 pandemic and strict travel restrictions cut off customers, some online casinos pivoted. With revenue drying up, operators shifted to a new model: using the same infrastructure and labor to defraud targets around the world through digital scams.An estimated 120,000 people in Myanmar are being forced to work in online scam operations, along with another 100,000 in Cambodia, according to a 2023 report by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Those figures are rough estimates, but investigators say scam centers rely on a mix of trafficked victims and workers who arrive willingly — lured by false promises of relatively high pay and easy office jobs. Early on, most workers came from China and Chinese-speaking countries. Today, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime says laborers are recruited from at least 56 countries, ranging from Indonesia to Liberia. For many, the reality is far harsher than advertised. Workers say their passports are often confiscated to prevent them from leaving the compounds. Only senior managers and trusted lieutenants are allowed to move freely. Those who fail to meet targets risk beatings or other physical punishment.Scammers cast a wide net, targeting victims around the world and increasingly relying on artificial intelligence-powered translation tools to overcome language barriers.in March 2024 where workers were targeting Chinese nationals with a fake investment scheme. Using scripted messages, scammers posed as senior employees of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. and persuaded victims to invest in crude oil futures, according to a script seen by The Associated Press.U.S. prosecutors have also targeted the networks behind the schemes. Prosecutors in an indictment against Chen Zhi last year said his organization had scammed at least 250 Americans out of millions of dollars, including one victim who lost $400,000 in cryptocurrency. Americans lost at least $10 billion to scams tied to Southeast Asia in 2024 alone, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Cambodian authorities said Wednesday that Chen Zhi and two other Chinese citizens were extradited to China on Tuesday. Chen has dual nationality and his Cambodian citizenship was revoked in December, it said.The scams take many forms, ranging from cryptocurrency investment schemes to so-called “task scams,” in which victims are asked to pay to unlock the next assignment. In some cases, small amounts of real money are paid out early on to build trust before losses escalate. Scammers often manufacture urgency, warning targets they will miss out on an opportunity unless they invest by a specific deadline. Despite government crackdowns and raids that have freed some workers and shut down individual compounds, activists say the people behind the operations largely remain untouched. New scam centers continue to surface across Southeast Asia and beyond. A United Nations report last year said scammers have extracted billions of dollars from victims using fake romantic relationships, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes, with operations reported as far away as Africa and Latin America. “If we only rescue the victims and don’t arrest anybody — especially the Chinese mafia and transnational syndicates — then there will be no point,” said Jay Kritiya, coordinator of the Civil Society Network for Victim Assistance in Human Trafficking.
Fraud Crime Asia Cyberscams United Kingdom Cambodia Myanmar Asia Pacific Labor United States Government United Kingdom Government China Government World News Jay Kritiya Extradition Business World News
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Zhang Jingyi Joins Chen Kun, Tang Wei, and Wu Lei in a High-Profile CampaignRising star Zhang Jingyi teams up with industry veterans Chen Kun, Tang Wei, and Wu Lei in a highly anticipated new campaign, promising a blend of artistry and entertainment. The project, currently shrouded in secrecy, is set to be a significant event in the Chinese entertainment world.
Read more »
Why does Trump want Greenland and why is it so important?When US forces struck the Venezuelan capital and ousted the country’s president Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, it turned one of President Donald Trump’s rhetorical threats into reality.
Read more »
Bitget's Gracy Chen is looking for 'entrepreneurs, not wantrepreneurs'Gracy Chen went from TV star, to entrepreneur, became CEO of a top 5 crypto exchange Bitget — and blended it all together on Killer Whales.
Read more »
Cambodia extradites alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi to ChinaCambodia’s government has arrested and extradited a prominent tycoon to China. Chen Zhi, accused of leading a massive online scam, was wanted by U.S. authorities. Cambodia’s Interior Ministry announced the extradition on Tuesday after months of investigation. Chen, chairman of Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group, was accused by the U.S. and U.K.
Read more »
Cambodia extradites alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi to ChinaCambodia’s government has arrested and extradited prominent tycoon Chen Zhi to China
Read more »
Cambodia extradites alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi to ChinaThe Associated Press
Read more »