SOUTHEAST ASIA — The United States Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against Cambodian Senator Kok An over the operation of fraudulent scam centers targeting Americans. The Office of Foreign Assets Control said it would take action against Kok An and 28 individuals and entities in his network accused of enticing U.S. citizens to give away large amounts of money through fraudulent schemes.

The Treasury accused Kok An of operating fraud centers out of casinos and office parks retrofitted for fraudulent activity. According to the department, fraudsters use the lure of friendship or romantic relationships to coax vulnerable Americans into transferring savings as digital assets by promising investment opportunities and high returns, then steal the funds.

"Eliminating fraud is a top priority for the Trump Administration," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said. "Treasury will continue to target fraudsters and scam centers that steal billions of dollars from hardworking Americans, no matter where they operate or how well-connected they are," he added.

"Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas may believe that they cannot be reached," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said.

Scam centers have proliferated across Southeast Asia since the COVID-19 pandemic in the early 2020s, when entertainment hubs such as casinos struggled as tourism slumped. Some casinos shifted to online operations and digital schemes defrauding people around the world.

United Nations estimates suggest that as many as 300,000 people could be entangled in the scam industry across the region, some without their consent. According to the Department of Justice, some victims are lured to Thailand with the prospect of work and then trafficked across the border to Myanmar or Cambodia.

The U.S. previously announced sanctions in September targeting 20 companies and businesses accused of facilitating scam centers in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar. Cambodia's parliament recently passed a law meant to help combat cyberscams.