US lawmakers say Cambodia’s scam industry could equal 60% of GDP

Two senior US House lawmakers have written a letter alleging that online scam operations in Cambodia could generate up to 60% of the country's formal gross domestic product. In a September 15 letter, Chairman Brian Mast and Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Select Committee on China respectively, claimed there were links between officials and criminal scam operations in Cambodia.

They cited a May 2025 report, as well as a June 2025 report, stating that corruption, government protection and alleged involvement by political elites have enabled Cambodia's trafficking and cybercrime networks. The lawmakers also pointed to the fact that investigations by the Cambodian government into scam compounds have been inadequate to prevent abuses such as human trafficking, forced labor, child labor, torture and unlawful detention.

While some governments in the region have increased pressure on scam operations recently, the lawmakers said financial networks, organizers and political protection structures supporting the industry remain largely intact. They also noted that some scam centers have moved to new locations while new compounds continue to be built, allowing the wider criminal system to persist despite enforcement efforts.