Southeast Asian Casinos Emerge as Major Enablers of Global Cybercrime

A growing number of casinos in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are engaging in large-scale money laundering, facilitating cyberfraud that is costing victims in America and abroad billions of dollars, according to new research by the United Nations.

by Cezary Podkul Oct 5, 2023 5:00 AM EST Contrast

Change Your Look Change Your Look Change Your Look

ProPublica is a nonprofit news site that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get the biggest stories as soon as they're published. By Cezary Podkul Oct 5, 2023 5:00 AM EST

Contrast

Change Your Look Change Your Look Change Your Look

ProPublica is a nonprofit news site that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get the biggest stories as soon as they're published.

Contrast Change Your Look Change Your Look Change Your Look

ProPublica is a nonprofit news site that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get the biggest stories as soon as they're published.

Mr. Big was in trouble. He needed to get what he called “scam funds” back to China, and the crackdown was making it harder to do so. So in August, Mr. Big, who, needless to say, did not give his real name, placed an ad on a Telegram channel, recruiting what he called a “smuggling team” to smuggle gold and gemstones from Myanmar to southern China in exchange for a 10% cut, and “complete the final conversion” of the stolen gold. It’s unclear whether Mr. Big was ultimately successful; his ad has since been removed, and ProPublica was unable to contact him. But the online forums where he placed his ad say a lot about why Americans and people around the world are finding themselves targeted by an unprecedented wave of fraud originating in Southeast Asia. In a recent criminal investigation, Singapore police seized more than $2 billion in money laundering, including “fraud and online gambling,” from a syndicate with suspected ties to organized crime. The Telegram channel where Mr. Big's call for help was posted was a Chinese-language forum and fully-lighted group offering access to "white capital" -- money laundering -- "guaranteed" by casino operators in Myanmar.

He told Publica in September: As a result, the money laundering was "easier as it was," and said in the region, "the expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes." Pan & amp; gt; told Publica in September. He said that the money laundering was "it became as easy as ever," he said in the area, especially in September, in September, it was "the basics of expanding the crime economy across borders", especially cyber crimes. I talked. The money laundering said, "it has become as easy as ever," and became the "expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes." < SPAN> He told Publica in September. As a result, the money laundering was "easier as it was," and said in the region, "the expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes." Pan & amp; gt; told Publica in September. He said that the money laundering was "it became as easy as ever," he said in the area, especially in September, in September, it was "the basics of expanding the crime economy across borders", especially cyber crimes. I talked. The money laundering said, "it has become as easy as ever," and became the "expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes." He told Publica in September: As a result, the money laundering was "easier as it was," and said in the region, "the expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes." Pan & amp; gt; told Publica in September. He said that the money laundering was "it became as easy as ever," he said in the area, especially in September, in September, it was "the basics of expanding the crime economy across borders", especially cyber crimes. I talked. The money laundering said, "it has become as easy as ever," and became the "expansion of crime economy across borders, especially cyber crimes."