About 60 domestic and foreign journalists were led through a sprawling resort-style compound in Prey Veng province on Sept. 21, a site officials say previously ran a major online scam operation.

The visit to 8 Park, in Kra Bao commune, Kamchay Mea district, was the first time authorities opened a former scam complex outside the capital to international media. Officials say the compound once held as many as 20,000 residents and workers.

A town-sized layout

The compound occupies roughly 120 hectares and took about two years to construct, according to authorities. Building work began in 2023, and the site started operating in 2025. Its buildings include apartments, offices, shops, a market and a casino positioned near the centre.

Officials said the infrastructure suggested a self-contained settlement built to support a large workforce and sustain operations over time.

Raid followed international intelligence

Hay Makara, a member of the Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams, said authorities raided the compound in February. He said the operation drew on information from China’s Ministry of Public Security, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and reports from people who had fled the site.

Makara said investigators used those leads to identify key figures and understand the activities taking place inside the compound. During the raid, he said, several suspected ringleaders and managers were detained, while about 20,000 people working there later departed voluntarily.

The site has since been closed off and placed under 24-hour guard while legal cases proceed. Makara said communications and IT equipment were seized and moved to Phnom Penh, leaving behind only some scattered furniture and beds during the tour. He added that the buildings and assets could eventually be confiscated by court order.

Connections to business networks

Authorities have linked the compound to business networks and individuals associated with Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Holding Group, and Li Xiong, former chairman of Huione Group. The two men have been arrested and deported to China, where they are reportedly wanted on suspicion of involvement in transnational criminal activity connected to online scams.

Seng Hieng, a deputy prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said the cases tied to 8 Park remain under investigation. He said the court may need more time to identify responsible parties and assess legal liability, though several people have already been arrested and brought before judges.

Governor says local officials were not informed

Prey Veng provincial governor Sourn Somalin said local authorities did not know the site was being used for scam activities. He said the property’s unnamed owner initially proposed a residential and integrated development plan that officials believed would encourage economic activity in the area.

He said the true nature of the project became apparent only as the national anti-scam campaign intensified. As a local administrator, he added, he had no power to investigate a private compound.

Cambodia seeks to rebuild confidence

The media access was granted as Cambodia tries to intensify its response to online scam centres, an issue that has hurt its international standing.

International reporting has repeatedly pointed to Cambodia as a significant base for scam operations and has raised allegations of human trafficking, forced labour and large-scale organised crime. The concerns have also affected investor and tourist perceptions of safety.

The government says it is working to restore trust by carrying out raids, investigating criminal networks and their leaders, strengthening cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies and seizing assets linked to illegal activity. The visit was also meant to demonstrate the government’s anti-scam measures.

The tour came two days before an international conference on combating technology-facilitated scams scheduled for Sept. 23-24 in Phnom Penh. Organisers expect the meeting to focus on cooperation, information sharing and stronger action against transnational scam networks.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has vowed to eliminate online scams and to handle the campaign transparently, warning that the country’s reputation has suffered severely. He has pointed to declining international visitor numbers amid the scam problem and the continuing border dispute with Thailand.

For the government, operations against compounds like 8 Park are being presented as a key step toward rebuilding trust with the international community.