Cambodia inaugurates Senate building funded by sanctioned tycoon
The new 'Solidarity Palace' was financed by Cambodian business figures, including Ly Yong Phat, who was sanctioned by the US over alleged links to scam centres.
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni officially opened a new Senate building, dubbed the Solidarity Palace, on Friday. The 4.5-story structure, which features a rooftop helipad, was funded by prominent Cambodian business figures. Among these donors is Ly Yong Phat, a senator and businessman who was recently sanctioned by the US in 2024 for alleged involvement in serious human rights abuses related to online scam centers.
Despite the sanctions, Ly Yong Phat attended the inauguration ceremony and expressed pride in the achievement. The building, designed and constructed by Cambodians, also serves as a venue for hosting international visitors and houses various Senate offices and a reception room. While the exact cost remains undisclosed, the building's official listing identifies 11 donors.
Another donor, Hun To, a cousin of Prime Minister Hun Manet, indicated that he never gained any financial benefits from the now-defunct digital payments platform linked to cybercrimes and money laundering, which has been sanctioned by the US.
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