Background
Memorandums of Understanding signed in 2016 and 2019 between Cambodian law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation establish formal channels for exchanging operational information and coordinating joint investigations. The 2019 trilateral MoU involved the General Commissariat of National Police, the General Department of Immigration, and the FBI, and it created a joint working group (Task Force) with mandates that include cooperation on terrorism, human trafficking, cybercrime, and other cross‑border offenses.
The MoU-based cooperation provides a mechanism for the transfer of investigative requests, identity data and forensic leads from international partners to Cambodian authorities and for Cambodian authorities to conduct local follow-up actions. In the area of online scams and cyber-enabled fraud, the operational functions exercised under these agreements include suspect interviews, IP-address tracing, identity verification against national databases, and the coordination of provincial-level enforcement operations.
Key Developments
On 22 September 2026 the Ministry of Interior deputy spokesperson reported that Cambodian authorities and the FBI cooperated on investigations of 12 cases related to online scams and cyber-enabled fraud. Specialized teams under the Ministry of Interior interviewed six individuals in connection with cryptocurrency account inquiries and found those individuals were not involved in the alleged cryptocurrency offenses.
Authorities also reported three instances in which IP-address information supplied in U.S. requests could not be used to identify users, and two separate investment‑related cryptocurrency fraud cases were investigated with findings that the identified subjects were not linked to the alleged crypto investments. A vehicle-identity inquiry requested by the partner agency similarly found that the vehicle owner had relocated, leaving no further leads for local investigators.
The FBI supplied location data for a total of 50 alleged scam sites situated across seven provinces: Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Kandal, Svay Rieng, Kampot, Tboung Khmum, and Preah Sihanouk. Cambodian national and sub‑national authorities reported they subsequently carried out operations to identify and dismantle those 50 sites.
Institutional Role
The General Commissariat of National Police served as the core national agency coordinating investigative follow-up under the MoU arrangements, with specialized departments and the General Department of Immigration participating where immigration or identity functions were relevant. The Ministry of Interior’s specialist units conducted interviews, database checks and local verification tasks in response to requests or intelligence provided by the FBI.
Operational Implications
The cooperation demonstrates a standing operational channel through which foreign investigative partners can provide intelligence and location leads that Cambodian authorities may act upon locally. Practical activities reported under this arrangement include suspect interviews, identity checks using national records, IP tracing attempts, and targeted provincial operations to shut down physical or virtual scam hubs.
Sources
Report from the General Department of Identification, Ministry of Interior (Facebook post dated 22 September 2026): https://www.facebook.com/gdi.gov.kh/posts/pfbid02ZgCVNztwSC7MMrU7bGetFP1tAGRQPB5baj8WQTZYsVunkk1snccfgEfNWMRn9J4Al
