The Cambodian government has expressed its expectation that the United States and the United Kingdom provide substantial evidence in their pursuit of Prince Holding Group and its Chairman, Chen Zhi. This follows coordinated sanctions imposed by both nations, accusing the conglomerate of orchestrating extensive online scams and exploiting forced labor. Touch Sokhak, spokesperson for Cambodia’s Interior Ministry, emphasized that Prince Holding Group has complied with all legal requirements and has been treated equally alongside other major investors in the country. He also clarified that Chen’s Cambodian citizenship was granted lawfully. While Cambodia has pledged cooperation if presented with formal evidence, Sokhak reiterated that the government does not currently accuse the group or its chairman of any wrongdoing. The U.S. Treasury Department and the U.K. Foreign Office announced joint sanctions on Tuesday, alleging that Chen’s network operates as a transnational criminal enterprise, defrauding global victims and exploiting trafficked workers across Southeast Asia. U.S. authorities have seized over $14 billion in bitcoin and charged Chen with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies. British authorities have frozen Chen’s assets, including luxury properties in London. Experts warn that dismantling such networks requires targeting their online infrastructure to prevent rebranding and continued operations. Chen remains at large and faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted in the U.S. Prince Holding Group has denied involvement in scam operations and has not publicly addressed the latest allegations. Independent research highlights Cambodia’s role as a hub for online scams and money laundering, with over 200 documented scam centers in the country. Cambodia has pledged full cooperation with international partners, provided there is sufficient evidence.
Cambodia urges a fair process as US and UK pursue Prince Group’s Chen Zhi in a global scam case
