Cambodia and FBI hold talks on combating online scams

PHNOM PENH, Feb 5, 2026 (KPT) — A senior Cambodian minister has met a top U.S. law enforcement official to discuss cooperation in tackling technology-based scams, officials said Thursday.

General Chhay Sinarith, Cambodia’s Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions and head of the National Committee to Combat Technology-Based Scams (NCTBS), held talks on February 4 with Scott Schelble, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s International Operations Division, during a courtesy call in Phnom Penh.

The meeting focused on information-sharing and strengthening cooperation between Cambodia and the United States to improve efforts against online fraud, according to Cambodian officials.

Chhay Sinarith said Cambodia’s anti-scam measures under the NCTBS framework had produced tangible results, and reiterated the government’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and their financial structures through strict legal and professional measures.

Schelble praised Cambodia’s efforts, describing them as evidence the country was not a safe haven for criminal groups.

He noted that technology-based scams were a global and increasingly complex problem, stressing the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in addressing the issue.

Both sides said they intended to strengthen cooperation between the FBI and the NCTBS, including through capacity-building initiatives, as part of ongoing efforts to combat online scams.