Hun Sens Scam State Faces Global Reckoning Over Child Sextortion

[geovalin]

 

 

Cambodia’s former prime minister Hun Sen may have stepped down in 2023, but his grip on power—and the narrative—remains unshaken. In recent months, he’s re-emerged as the architect of Cambodia’s response to escalating border tensions with Thailand, overshadowing his son and successor Hun Manet. But behind the military theatrics lies a darker reality: a regime increasingly dependent on a sprawling cybercriminal economy now linked to child exploitation.

 

A new study by International Justice Mission (IJM) has revealed disturbing ties between Cambodian scam compounds and child sextortion. By cross-referencing millions of cybercrime reports with IP data, researchers identified nearly 500 cases directly linked to 40 scam sites across Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Among them are notorious compounds like Jinbei, Golden Fortune, and Mango Park—allegedly protected by elite figures within Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

 

This revelation comes as Cambodia faces mounting scrutiny from Washington. The U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report, delayed by nearly two months, is expected to designate Cambodia as a Tier 3 offender and “state sponsor of human trafficking”—the harshest possible label. Yet, concerns persist that recent diplomatic overtures, including Cambodia’s surprise nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, may be attempts to soften the blow.

 

Analysts warn that Hun Sen’s regime is using nationalist posturing and strategic distraction to shield its criminal patronage network. Scam operations, including “pig butchering” financial frauds and sextortion targeting American teens, now generate billions—up to 60% of Cambodia’s GDP, according to some estimates.

 

The implications are profound. Cambodia’s cybercriminal economy is no longer a regional issue—it’s a global threat. As IJM’s findings galvanise bipartisan concern in the U.S., a new coalition may be emerging: one that unites anti-trafficking, child protection, and financial crime advocates against a regime long seen as untouchable.

 

Hun Sen’s legacy may be one of impunity, but the evidence is mounting. And if global actors can stay focused, coordinated, and data-driven, Cambodia’s fortress of illicit wealth may finally begin to crack.

 

-2025-08-22