5 Private Security Firms Linked to Cambodian Scam Compounds

Uniformed officials from Cambodia’s military and police worked as private security guards at fraud compounds, according to a new Amnesty International report. The investigation reveals that these officers were embedded in a system that trapped thousands of people in online scam operations. Survivors described using electric batons and physical violence to keep workers confined within the facilities.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty’s secretary general, stated that survivors had reported seeing military and police personnel inside the compounds for years. She noted that these accounts were difficult to confirm until now. The rights group relied on 151 survivor interviews, visits to 82 locations, and social media footage from dozens of guard accounts to build its case.

The report links these illicit operations to five well-connected private security companies. Investigators identified more than 20 active members of the armed forces and police at the sites. Some of these officials worked openly as guards, controlling exits and hunting down workers who attempted to escape. Callamard said the guards enforced compliance through fear and violence, making the mass exploitation possible.

Survivors recounted guards administering electric shocks and beatings. They also described being held in dark rooms and standing watch while compound managers raped women. The report identifies Leap Somnang as the company with the largest footprint. It was linked to at least 15 compounds across eight provinces, and twelve survivors recognized its guards, uniforms, or logo.

Amnesty alleges that Ban Sophat controlled Leap Somnang while serving as a colonel in the armed forces. The group released photos showing him with company guards at two compounds. In a letter, Sophat denied holding an ownership or management role. He stated he served only as an adviser to the company owner and that appearing in a photo did not prove he knew of the activities there.

The United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked into Southeast Asia for these scams. Annual losses from fraud schemes like pig butchering reach approximately $100 billion. Cambodia launched its largest crackdown in July 2025, shutting down hundreds of centers. The interior ministry said it disciplined 77 police officers and sent 3,477 suspects to court, citing a policy of no tolerance.

Callamard warned that the infrastructure of impunity has not been dismantled despite the industry becoming dormant. The ministry reported prosecuting six private security guards for illegal use of stun batons. It also detained 17 military, police, and civil officials for colluding with criminals. The Guardian contacted the ministry, Ban Sophat, and Leap Somnang for comment.