Gate News message, April 24 — The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Cambodian senator Kok An, who allegedly controls scam compounds throughout the country, along with 28 other individuals and entities linked to his network. The move targets what OFAC describes as a sophisticated fraud operation that has defrauded Americans of millions of dollars by convincing them to send cryptocurrency under the guise of legitimate investment platforms promising high returns.
According to OFAC, fraudsters lure victims through friendship or romantic relationships before directing them to send funds in crypto form. The agency noted that in some cases, individuals perpetrating these scams are themselves victims of human trafficking forced to commit unlawful acts under threat of violence. Kok An’s network operates out of casinos and office parks retrofitted for fraudulent activity, laundering victims’ funds while targeting U.S. citizens and committing human rights abuses. The sanctions coincide with the seizure of over 500 fraudulent web domains used to perpetuate cryptocurrency investment fraud.
The action follows a police raid on two scam centers in Poipet, a Cambodian city near the Thai border, on April 23. Kok An was previously accused by police of running scam centers in Poipet last year. According to reporting, Chinese syndicates operating in Cambodia have grown to such scale that some foreign politicians refer to the country as ‘Scambodia.’ In September 2025, OFAC sanctioned an extensive network of cybercriminals across Southeast Asia, including ten targets based in Cambodia.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
North Korean APT Group HexagonalRodent Steals $12M in Crypto from Web3 Developers Using AI-Powered Attacks
Gate News message, April 24 — A North Korean state-sponsored APT group dubbed HexagonalRodent has stolen over $12 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs from Web3 developers in the first quarter of 2026, according to cybersecurity firm Expel. The group compromised 2,726 developer devices and gained acce
GateNews1h ago
Gate Daily Report (April 24): US Treasury sanctions Cambodian crypto “pig butchering” scams; Tether mints an additional 1 billion USDT
Bitcoin (BTC) rebound momentum is weakening, with a temporary quote around $78,030 as of April 24. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a Cambodian politician linked to a crypto “pig butchering” scam center. Tether issued another 1 billion USDT on the Ethereum network; over the past 5 days, it has issued a total of 3 billion USDT on the Ethereum network.
MarketWhisper1h ago
Trump Vows to Investigate Federal Employees’ Polymarket Trades; U.S. Soldiers Arrested for Betting on Maduro
The U.S. Department of Justice arrested a U.S. military servicemember on April 23, accusing him of using classified information to place bets on the prediction market Polymarket that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be arrested, resulting in profits of more than $400k from an initial wager of more than $33k. On Thursday, U.S. President Trump said he will investigate whether federal employees have been placing bets on sports betting platforms, criticizing, “the world has become a casino.”
MarketWhisper1h ago
Arbitrum Security Council Freezes $71M in KelpDAO Attack Funds, Reigniting Decentralization Debate
Gate News message, April 24 — Arbitrum's Security Council froze approximately 30,000 ETH (roughly $71 million) in associated funds from the KelpDAO attack on April 24, triggering renewed discussion across the crypto industry about the true meaning of
GateNews2h ago
Jane Street Files Motion to Dismiss Terraform Labs' Insider Trading Lawsuit
Gate News message, April 24 — Jane Street and several individual defendants have filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York seeking to dismiss the insider trading lawsuit brought by Terraform Labs' bankruptcy estate. The quant firm argues that Terraform is atte
GateNews6h ago
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Cambodian Senator Over Crypto Scam Network
## Overview
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cambodian Senator Kok An and 28 entities associated with him on Thursday, according to the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The action targets what officials describe as a massive crypto scam operation in Southeast Asia.
## The
CryptoFrontier9h ago
