A powerful Cambodian tycoon, Lim Heng, was the landlord of a compound used for industrial-scale scamming and human trafficking operations, according to Reuters. The compound, located on the Thai-Cambodian border, was leased out by Lim Heng Group at above-market rates.
Scam Operations
The scam operations involved impersonation scams perpetrated on victims worldwide, with rooms transformed to look like police stations and bank offices from multiple countries. The Thai military found evidence of scam operations in at least four buildings in the compound.
Lim Heng Group has denied any direct involvement in the trafficking or fraud carried out at the site. However, prosecutors can charge landlords of scam compounds if investigations establish they knew about criminal use of their property and allowed it to continue.
Investigations
The Cambodian government has pledged to eradicate scam centers and has extradited a casino owner and alleged scamming kingpin to China. The government is also investigating alleged fraud operations in the area around Royal Hill, a casino owned by Lim Heng Group.
The U.S. State Department has reported that abuses in scam operations remain widespread in Cambodia, where elites own properties used by scammers. The Cambodian military did not respond to questions about its ties with Lim Heng.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
