Cambodian authorities have arrested a well known businessman who was previously named in a 2023 investigative report that exposed large scale online scam operations in Southeast Asia. The arrest is part of a broader crackdown on organized digital fraud and human trafficking networks.
The suspect, Kuong Li, is a fifty year old Cambodian national. Prosecutors have charged him with illegal recruitment for exploitation, aggravated fraud, organized crime, and money laundering. These charges relate to alleged criminal activities carried out in Cambodia and other countries since 2019.
On January fifteen, a court in Phnom Penh ordered that Kuong Li remain in custody while legal proceedings continue.
Kuong Li appeared in a news Eye investigation titled The Pig Butchering Romance Scam. The report detailed claims of forced labor, human trafficking, and financial fraud taking place inside heavily guarded scam compounds across Southeast Asia.
According to Didi, he was required to work overnight shifts from eight in the evening until eight in the morning local time. His role involved targeting victims in Europe and the United States through online scams. He described a strict environment where workers were monitored constantly and punished for mistakes.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Didi jumped from a third floor window. He later found refuge in a safe house in Phnom Penh before eventually returning to China. Three years after the documentary aired, he is now employed at a factory in southern China.
The investigation also included testimony from another Chinese man, Mi Lijun. Footage obtained by investigators showed his final hours before he died from organ failure.
