64 South Koreans Under Investigation for Alleged Role in Online Scam After Cambodia Repatriation

• Mass repatriation: Cambodia repatriated 64 South Korean nationals under investigation for their alleged involvement in large-scale online scam operations.
• Detention requests: South Korean police have filed requests to detain 58 of the 64 individuals, indicating the serious nature of the allegations.
• Forced labor allegations: Some of the repatriated individuals were reportedly held against their will and subjected to violence within the scam compounds. 

South Korean authorities have initiated a large-scale online scam investigation following the repatriation of 64 nationals from Cambodia. The individuals are suspected of participating in vast criminal networks operating out of scam compounds in the Southeast Asian nation. 

The move follows growing international pressure to dismantle these criminal hubs, which are known to generate billions of dollars annually through fraudulent activities.

The Nature of the Cambodian Scam Compounds

Police in South Korea have moved swiftly, seeking court-issued detention warrants for 58 of the returned citizens, underscoring the severity of the alleged crimes. 

The investigation targets a range of illicit activities associated with the Cambodia scam compounds. These centers are part of a larger trend of international cybercrime that has flourished in Southeast Asia.

The repatriated individuals are implicated in orchestrating various forms of fraud, including sophisticated voice phishing scams, romance scams, and "no-show" fraud, where scammers collect large advance payments under false pretenses before disappearing. 

The United Nations reports that hundreds of people work in these centers, many of whom are lured by false promises of high-paying jobs and are subsequently forced to work under threat of violence.

International Response and Human Trafficking Concerns

This repatriation was spurred in part by the recent alleged murder of a South Korean student who was lured to Cambodia under false pretenses, in a case linked to an employment scam, according to local media, Reuters said.

In response, the South Korean government has issued a "code-black" travel ban for parts of Cambodia and established a task force to aid nationals trapped in these compounds. 

The police investigation is also looking into claims that at least four of the returned individuals were victims of kidnapping and abuse by the criminal organizations. 

This aligns with recent sanctions by the U.S. and U.K. against groups in Cambodia accused of human trafficking to staff these massive online fraud operations. 

A cyber scam operation was dismantled in February 2024, when 215 people were rescued in a major Thai and Cambodian Police raid. Cambodian senator and entrepreneur Ly Yong Phat was sanctioned over human trafficking, forced labor, and crypto scams in September 2024.

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