Cambodian authorities have frozen nearly US$1 billion in assets linked to Prince Group as part of an expanding investigation into technology-enabled fraud and money laundering. The government is coordinating with Interpol to locate 29 alleged ringleaders who have fled abroad in connection with the probe.
Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, the permanent vice-chairman and head of the secretariat of the Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams (CCTC), disclosed on October 21 that investigators identified 198 companies tied to Prince Group, including 98 registered within Cambodia and 100 operating internationally. The investigation, ongoing for several months, focuses on a complex corporate network with activities spanning multiple countries.
Sinarith identified Prince Group founder Chen Zhi and his associates as key suspects. Cambodian courts have issued arrest warrants for 32 individuals, with four others under judicial supervision. Six alleged ringleaders, including Chen, Li Song, Liu Yin, Eng Dara, Eang Soklim, and Huang Ron, have been apprehended and referred for prosecution, while authorities continue efforts to identify five further suspects.
The commission has requested Interpol Red Notices for at least 29 suspects believed to be abroad, seeking international cooperation to facilitate their capture. Investigators are working with international partners such as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and China’s Ministry of Public Security to exchange intelligence and gather evidence for legal proceedings.
Alongside apprehending suspects, authorities are tracing and securing assets suspected to be proceeds of crime or instruments used to facilitate fraud. Cambodian courts have ordered the freezing of more than US$300 million held in bank accounts. Properties linked to Prince Group—including buildings, casinos, thousands of real estate properties, and other movable assets—are also under court-ordered freezes, with an estimated total value approaching US$1 billion.
Officials are reviewing legal and evidentiary grounds to determine how these assets should be managed during ongoing judicial processes. Measures under consideration include temporary state administration or permanent state ownership, but final confiscation decisions remain subject to court rulings.
The Prince Group investigation is part of a broader Cambodian government campaign against technology-based scams. Between July 2025 and September 2026, authorities examined 910 locations associated with online scams, including all 86 major scam centers identified nationwide. During this period, 529 cases were referred to courts, and 5,778 individuals of various nationalities faced charges and detention pending further investigation.
Authorities also identified 28 casinos implicated in suspected illegal activities, with inquiries ongoing into operations allegedly concealed under licensed business fronts. In coordination with immigration officials, Cambodian authorities repatriated 22,892 foreign nationals from 40 countries who were found at scam-related locations. Many were reportedly deceived or lured by criminal syndicates, while others had violated immigration regulations.
Sinarith emphasized that the government continues to prioritize dismantling the financial infrastructure sustaining online scams, aiming to secure illicit proceeds and prevent further movement of criminal funds. The crackdown is intended to eliminate Cambodia as a base for transnational organized crime in technology-enabled fraud.
While significant progress has been made in identifying suspects, freezing assets, and enhancing international cooperation, the case against Prince Group is ongoing, with judicial outcomes pending.