Cambodian authorities have detained prominent businessman Kuong Li, a central figure in the BBC’s 2023 investigation into transnational scam operations, marking a significant escalation in the nation’s crackdown on organized cybercrime. The 50-year-old Cambodian national faces multiple charges including illegal recruitment for exploitation, aggravated fraud, organized crime, and money laundering for alleged offenses spanning since 2019.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered Kuong Li’s pretrial detention on January 15 following his arrest, with investigations ongoing into wider criminal networks associated with organized online fraud. The suspect gained international notoriety through the BBC Eye documentary ‘The Pig Butchering Romance Scam,’ which exposed human trafficking and fraudulent activities within Cambodian compound facilities.
Central to the investigation was the Huang Le compound in Sihanoukville, a coastal facility owned by Kuong Li that allegedly housed forced labor operations. The BBC documentary featured testimony from ‘Didi,’ a Chinese national who described being trafficked to Cambodia under false employment promises and compelled to work 12-hour shifts targeting victims in Western countries. Didi’s secretly recorded footage revealed brutal working conditions, including physical abuse and restricted movement, culminating in his desperate escape by jumping from a third-story window.
The investigation also documented the tragic case of Mi Lijun, another Chinese national who died from organ failure after being abandoned on a highway following serious illness at the compound. Despite initial dismissals from Cambodian authorities who called the BBC’s allegations ‘groundless’ in April 2023, the current prosecution signals a policy shift toward addressing international concerns.
Paradoxically, Kuong Li received Cambodia’s prestigious ‘Neak Oknha’ royal honorific in June 2023, just months after the BBC exposé aired. His business empire spans real estate, casinos, hotels, and construction ventures, with numerous public appearances alongside senior government officials.
The arrest occurs amid regional crackdowns on cybercrime networks. Cambodia’s Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Cybercrime reports 37 major cases prosecuted between 2025 and mid-January 2026, resulting in 172 convictions. This includes the high-profile extradition of Chinese billionaire Chen Zhi, accused of masterminding a vast online scam network.
Prime Minister Hun Manet recently declared combating ‘tech-savvy crimes’ a national priority, responding to mounting international pressure over scam compounds operating within Cambodian borders. The United Nations estimates hundreds of thousands have been trafficked across Southeast Asia, with many forced into operating sophisticated financial scams under deplorable conditions.
Parallel operations are underway across the region, with Thailand intensifying money laundering investigations and Myanmar conducting raids on scam hubs linked to transnational criminal networks. These coordinated efforts represent an unprecedented regional response to cyber-enabled financial crimes and human trafficking syndicates.