The Cambodian Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has launched a major investigation into a corruption scandal involving the illicit sale of visa stickers to foreign nationals, including individuals allegedly involved in online scam operations. The scheme, which reportedly generated up to $3 million, has led to charges against three former officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The accused include Tho Samnang, the former director-general of the ministry’s General Directorate of Legal, Consular and Border Affairs, along with subordinates Nop Ratha and Yos Rane. According to court spokesperson Chhay Hong, the trio faces charges of embezzlement, abuse of power, money laundering, and internal destruction. Investigators discovered that the suspects allegedly issued approximately 12,000 C and Cex visa stickers for personal profit. Samnang reportedly admitted to receiving $450,000 from the operation and selling individual visas for $6,000 each.
The investigation was triggered by a 2025 year-end audit that identified a significant number of missing visa stickers. Authorities have since seized $980,000 from Samnang and $250,000 from Ratha, while also uncovering hundreds of bank accounts held by the suspects across multiple financial institutions. Samnang further admitted to destroying the remaining stock of visa stickers in his possession.
This case is part of a broader series of corruption probes by the ACU targeting high-ranking officials linked to the nation's online scam industry. Other recent investigations have involved bribery allegations against police, military, and judicial officials, including cases in Phnom Penh, Banteay Meanchey, and Pursat provinces.
Political analyst Seng Vanly argued that the scale of the visa fraud suggests systemic failures rather than isolated incidents. “In my view, the deeper roots of corruption here are likely to involve weak internal controls [as] too much discretionary power concentrated in a few hands,” Vanly stated. He urged authorities to expand the investigation to examine the entire chain of supervision and authorization, noting that the ability to divert thousands of visas over an extended period raises serious questions regarding internal auditing and accountability.
While the Cambodian government maintains it is actively cracking down on scam compounds and deporting workers, it continues to face international pressure regarding its handling of human trafficking and the alleged involvement of senior officials in criminal networks. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Department of Immigration could not be reached for comment regarding the ongoing proceedings.
Source: CamboJA News
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