Cambodian authorities have arrested a prominent businessman featured in a 2023 BBC Eye investigation into alleged online scam operations as part of a wider effort to tackle organised online fraud.
Kuong Li, a 50-year-old Cambodian national, was charged with illegal recruitment for exploitation, aggravated fraud, organised crime and money laundering relating to alleged offences committed in Cambodia and elsewhere since 2019.
On 15 January, a Phnom Penh court ordered him to be remanded in custody pending further proceedings.
Kuong Li was featured in The Pig Butchering Romance Scam, a BBC Eye investigation into allegations of human trafficking and fraud inside scam compounds in Southeast Asia.
That programme, broadcast in March 2023, focused on the Huang Le compound, a venue under Kuong Li's ownership in the coastal city of Sihanoukville.
The documentary followed the account of 'Didi', a Chinese man who claimed he was trafficked into Cambodia under the guise of a well-paid job and forced to work inside the walled compound.
In a series of testimonials, victims recounted being systematically exploited, with Didi revealing his harrowing experience of working long hours under duress. He managed to escape after witnessing violence against fellow victims.
The investigation affirmed Kuong Li's ownership of the Huang Le compound, which is tied to a larger empire involving casinos, real estate, and construction. Previously honored with royal titles, Li's image was publicly prominent until these allegations surfaced.
Despite prior denials from both Kuong Li and Cambodian authorities, the ongoing investigation reflects a growing international push to combat online scams and the networks facilitating them, a movement gaining urgency in the region.
As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to address the broader implications of these operations within Cambodia's borders, focusing on the growing issue of human trafficking for online fraud.
