Cambodia passes the strictest anti-fraud law, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for serious fraud

The Cambodian National Assembly has unanimously passed a new bill to combat online fraud, targeting large-scale scam operation hubs that utilize cryptocurrency, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The bill is still pending review by the Senate and final approval from King Norodom Sihamoni.

According to the bill, the core leaders of fraud groups will face 15 to 30 years in prison, and if death results, they may be sentenced to life imprisonment; organizers can be sentenced to up to 20 years and heavy fines, while participants may face 2 to 5 years in prison and fines of up to $125,000. Analysts point out that scams such as "pig butchering" in Southeast Asia have rapidly spread in recent years, relying on cryptocurrency for cross-border transfers and money laundering, with annual amounts involved reaching hundreds of billions of dollars. Such crackdowns may lead to fraud activities "shifting rather than disappearing," and the key lies in whether corruption protection, money laundering networks, and cross-border capital flow systems are simultaneously targeted.