东南亚一系列丑闻正揭露官方与跨国诈骗网络勾结，这些网络多由中国三合会等犯罪集团操控，涉及被贩运的劳工。据估计，此产业每年对全球受害者诈骗金额超过5,000亿美元，数万人被困于戒备森严的建筑里。泰国副财长沃拉帕克因与柬埔寨诈骗网络牵连辞职，他上任仅33天。其妻涉嫌收取3百万美元加密货币。美国上月没收了柬埔寨王室荣誉获得者陈志价值150亿美元的加密货币，并对与其有关的146个实体和个人实施制裁，指控其“亚洲最大跨国犯罪组织”之一。
美国近期举措是对东南亚诈骗产业最全面的打击，包括国会法案将主要犯罪集团及相关高层公之于众。诸如柬埔寨副总理萨索哈、总理洪玛内的堂兄洪托等政商要员被点名，他们与金沙集团及全球最大非法网络Huione集团有联系。美国已禁止Huione进入其金融体系，指其为朝鲜黑客及亚洲犯罪组织洗钱。菲律宾也出现大量政府人员涉入，班班市市长艾利斯·郭因参与人口贩卖及诈骗被判终身监禁。
美国11月宣布成立新工作组，将网诈视为全球安全威胁。然而，东南亚政府是否会追查权贵背景仍存疑。泰国反对派领导人指出，国家受到来自复杂资金链的诈骗威胁，如果不采取措施，未来国家可能被“穿西装的骗子”掌控。尽管有关调查已展开，但在该地区，犯罪与政治往往界限模糊，诈骗经济短期内难以根除。
A series of scandals across South-East Asia has revealed official complicity with transnational scam networks, often run by Chinese triads and involving trafficked laborers. This industry is estimated to steal over $500bn annually, with tens of thousands working inside heavily guarded compounds. Thailand’s deputy finance minister Vorapak Tanyawong resigned after 33 days due to allegations tied to Cambodian scam groups; his wife allegedly received $3m in cryptocurrency. Last month, America seized $15bn in crypto from Chen Zhi, a Cambodian citizen and business leader, and imposed sanctions on 146 entities and individuals linked to Prince Group, accused of being among Asia’s largest criminal organizations.
America’s recent actions are its broadest crackdown on the regional scam economy, including a congressional bill naming major syndicates and high-ranking associates like Cambodia’s deputy PM Sar Sokha and Prime Minister Hun Manet’s cousin Hun To. Both deny wrongdoing. America has also banned Huione Group from its financial system for laundering funds for North Korean hackers and Asian crime groups. The Philippines has seen officials implicated, with Mayor Alice Guo sentenced to life for trafficking and former spokesman Harry Roque fleeing the country after similar allegations.
In November, America launched a new task force, reframing scams as a global security threat. Yet, the commitment of South-East Asian governments to target powerful actors remains uncertain. Thailand’s opposition warns that opaque financial flows pose a deep threat, risking national control by “crooks in suits” if unaddressed. Investigations have begun, but blurred lines between crime and politics mean the scam economy is unlikely to fade soon.