DOJ launches massive offensive against scam hubs in Southeast Asia: 'These criminals cannot operate with impunity'

The Department of Justice (DOJ), through U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Criminal Division A. Tysen Duva, announced today a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against Southeast Asian criminal organizations that operate scam centers and have defrauded billions of dollars from U.S. citizens.

"The President’s Executive Order Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens establishes a clear, whole-of-government strategy to confront cyber-enabled crime and transnational scam operations – bringing together law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and financial tools in a unified effort," U.S. Attorney Pirro said.

The Scam Center Strike Force was created in 2025 and has seized at least $637,021,733 in cryptocurrencies from these schemes. The cryptocurrency seizure team is focused on recovering the stolen funds and returning them to the victims.

A major blow to digital scam mafias in Asia

The measures announced by the DOJ include criminal charges against two Chinese nationals, Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie, who ran a cryptocurrency investment fraud complex in Burma and attempted to set up another in Cambodia.

Pirro noted that both men are currently being held in Thailand for immigration violations and added that he hopes to bring them to trial in United States. "I met with Thai officials yesterday and we are working to bring them here," she stated.

The DOJ also offered a reward of up to $4 million for information leading to the capture of Daren Li, a Chinese national who in 2024 admitted in a U.S. court to laundering money from cryptocurrency scams but left the country before his sentence was handed down.

Separately, authorities have seized a Telegram account used to recruit human trafficking victims and send them to scam centers in Cambodia, where they were forced to impersonate authorities to steal from Americans, in addition to seizing 503 fake investment websites.

"Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas may believe that they cannot be reached, but the Department of Justice and our Strike Force partners are working to ensure that these criminals cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside," said Assistant Attorney General Duva.

The Strike Force continues to track and seize funds linked to money laundering from scam centers. Overall, more than $700 million in cryptocurrencies allegedly linked to frauds of this type have been blocked.

Rewards and penalties to curb global fraud networks

In a coordinated interagency action, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions against operators of scam hubs in Cambodia, while the Department of State offered rewards for information leading to the seizure or recovery of proceeds related to the Tai Chang scam center in Burma.

The Treasury announced financial sanctions against Cambodian Senator Kok An, accused of "controlling scam centers" in his country, as well as 28 individuals and entities allegedly belonging to this network.

Also participating in today's announcement was Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Eliminating fraud is a top priority for the Trump Administration," the secretary 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."