Tue, 20 Jan 2026

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 Alleged scam mastermind arrested after being exposed by BBC

Kuong Li featured in a 2023 BBC Eye investigation into alleged scam compounds in South East Asia.

* Cambodian authorities have arrested Kuong Li, a prominent businessman and owner of the Huang Le compound, which was featured in a 2023 BBC Eye investigation into alleged online scam operations.
* Kuong Li, 50, has been charged with illegal recruitment for exploitation, aggravated fraud, organised crime and money laundering relating to alleged offences committed in Cambodia and elsewhere since 2019.
* The arrest is part of a wider effort to tackle organized online fraud, which has seen Cambodian authorities investigate and prosecute multiple high-profile cases.
* The BBC investigation had highlighted allegations of human trafficking and forced labor at the Huang Le compound, where Chinese nationals were allegedly trafficked into Cambodia and forced to work in scam operations targeting victims in Europe and the US.
* Kuong Li was granted a royal honorific title 'Neak Oknha' in June 2023, despite previous allegations against him being raised by the BBC.
* The arrest comes as Cambodian authorities continue investigations into wider networks linked to organized online fraud, with multiple cases being prosecuted and high-profile suspects extradited.
* International pressure has been mounting on Cambodia to address scam compounds and related financial crime operating within its borders.
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