Adam Castillo, a retired U.S. Marine and former president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Myanmar, was released from detention in Myanmar following a diplomatic effort led by U.S. officials authorized by then-President Donald Trump and supported by Vice President JD Vance. Castillo, a California-based businessman and owner of a security company operating in Myanmar, was held for several months over a contractual dispute involving the local AmCham chapter.
Castillo was initially detained at Yangon’s airport in early June 2026 by Myanmar’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) upon returning to the country. Officials have said he was held without formal charges or access to legal representation for several days before facing breach of trust allegations related to a $300,000 lobbying contract with Mercury Public Affairs, a Washington, D.C.-based firm. The contract had been signed in late 2024 and aimed to facilitate better U.S.-Myanmar relations under the Trump administration, with lobbying fees paid through accounts of Misfit Technologies, a U.S. company with operations linked to AmCham Myanmar.
The dispute erupted amid internal conflict within AmCham Myanmar. Khin Maung Win, who assumed the chamber presidency in June 2025, claimed the board did not approve the Mercury contract and accused Castillo and Danny Kyaw, a former AmCham executive director, of concealing it from the leadership. Both Castillo and Kyaw denied these allegations, stating the contract had board awareness and did not require formal approval. A legal review commissioned by the chamber warned that Misfit’s payments tied to the contract could be considered criminal under Myanmar law. Following this, AmCham Myanmar terminated the memberships of both Misfit Technologies and Castillo’s security firm.
On June 8, the chamber’s executive director filed a formal police complaint accusing Castillo, Kyaw, and Misfit’s CEO Munimul Islam of unauthorized actions involving the Mercury contract. Castillo and Kyaw were subsequently detained and charged. After two weeks at CID headquarters, they were transferred to Insein prison, notorious for harsh conditions, drawing attention from family, friends, and human rights observers seeking their release.
In September 2026, a U.S. diplomatic delegation negotiated with Myanmar’s ruling military junta—the highest-level engagement since the 2021 coup—that resulted in Castillo’s release. Myanmar authorities stated the decision was made to encourage “friendly diplomatic relations with all nations.” Castillo credited President Trump for his release, calling it a life-saving intervention. Shortly after Castillo’s departure, Kyaw pleaded guilty to breach of trust and was sentenced to time served before leaving Myanmar.
Meanwhile, Munimul Islam was arrested in Barcelona by Spanish police following an Interpol notice. Islam has publicly maintained his innocence, asserting that no wrongdoing occurred on his part.
The White House declined to comment directly on the case, while State Department officials confirmed routine engagement with Myanmar on matters involving U.S. interests. The successful negotiation to free Castillo marks a rare instance of direct U.S. interaction with Myanmar’s military government since the 2021 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and plunged the country into ongoing conflict.