Phnom Penh Municipal Court Detains 18 People in Prison Over Online Scam Cases
PHNOM PENH: Mr. Hok Pov, Investigating Judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, issued 18 separate warrants to detain a group of 18 suspects involved in technology-based fraud (Online Scams) committed in Phnom Penh. According to the warrants dated April 1, 2026, the suspects are under investigation for "Aggravated Fraud by an Organized Group" under Articles 377 and 380 (Point 5) of the Criminal Code. Under these provisions, the accused could face 2 to 5 years in prison.
Among the 18 suspects are 14 Chinese nationals, 2 Malaysians, 1 Myanmar national, and 1 Cambodian. Most of them resided and worked at the Jinbien Mendu Hotel, located on Street 1019, Trung Moan Village, Sangkat Obek K'am, Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh—a location where authorities have previously launched crackdowns on cyber fraud.
The investigating judge ordered the temporary detention of the suspects: males are being held at Correctional Center 1 (M1), while females are held at Correctional Center 2 (M2), pending further legal proceedings.
It is worth noting that from July 2025 to March 2026—a 9-month period—Cambodian authorities across various provinces and the capital have cracked down on more than 250 cases of technology fraud. This has resulted in 80 cases being sent to court, involving approximately 750 suspects of various nationalities, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, South Korean, Singaporean, and Cambodian.
Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, has clearly stated that Cambodia is not a playground for cybercriminals to conduct scams or cross-border crimes. Any individuals or entities behind these fraudulent activities will face the highest legal penalties without any tolerance or intervention. These ongoing measures aim to eliminate technology-based fraud in Cambodia by this coming April.
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