Cambodia arrests 2 for using Hun Sen's name in $180,000 Telegram scam

The suspects had falsely claimed on Telegram that their operations were endorsed by Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and President of the Cambodian Senate, the Anti-Cyber Crime Department announced last Friday.

The department, under Cambodia’s National Police, launched an investigation on Feb. 16 and uncovered a fraud scheme in which perpetrators tricked victims into investing money with promises of high returns in a short period.

The scammers created a fake Telegram account mimicking Hun Sen's official channel to appear credible and solicit investments.

With approval from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court prosecutors, authorities arrested two suspects—a woman working at a beauty salon and a man employed as a parking lot security guard at a shopping center.

Chea Pov, Director of the Anti-Cyber Crime Department, told Kiripost that authorities have not disclosed their names, emphasizing that they remain suspects at this stage.

Pov said the two individuals, accused of conspiring to commit fraud and facilitating financial transactions, have been transferred to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for legal proceedings.

He noted that charges in such cases depend on the evidence collected during the investigation, with suspects typically facing either serious or minor fraud charges.

"Because our country does not yet have a law against digital crimes [cybercrime], we use the criminal code to replace that law [cybercrime] that is not yet in place," Pov stated.

The Anti-Cyber Crime Department had previously issued a warning on Jan. 20 about a surge in scam messages on platforms such as Telegram and Facebook, offering fake rewards.

According to The Phnom Penh Post, some users received deceptive messages stating: "I won a reward just for answering some questions! You should do it now before the prize presentation ceremony ends!"

The department confirmed that these messages are fraudulent schemes designed to extract money or sensitive information from victims. Many scams require victims to make upfront payments, promising rewards in return. However, victims typically end up losing their money - and in some cases, sensitive financial details such as PIN numbers or payment credentials.