Cambodia: Politically connected security companies enabled slavery and rape in scamming compounds

Cambodian private security companies connected to the country’s military, police and powerful business networks have helped sustain a scamming industry built on trafficking, forced labour, torture and slavery, Amnesty International said in a new report published today. 

Official Business: Security companies and authorities at scamming compounds in Cambodia identifies five private security companies that provided services at scamming compounds – and details their links to members of Cambodia’s military, police and business elites. Amnesty also identified multiple members of the military and police who worked as security guards, trained or supervised guards at more than 20 compounds.

“For years, survivors of these nightmarish compounds described encountering members of the Cambodian military or police inside. These accounts could not be independently verified – until now,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“This report demonstrates Cambodian corporate actors’ direct involvement in scamming compounds. Our findings also begin to expose the long-suspected links between Cambodia’s billion-dollar criminal scamming networks and politically connected figures who have remained largely beyond scrutiny. 

“At the heart of these connections are security companies whose guards controlled compound exits, hunted down people who escaped and enforced compliance through fear and violence. Without them, this system of mass exploitation could not have functioned.”

Guards central to confinement and abuse

Building on its previous investigations that exposed slavery, human trafficking, rape, forced labour and torture inside Cambodia’s scamming compounds, and documented the failures of the government’s subsequent crackdown, Amnesty’s latest investigation examines the security infrastructure that allowed the compounds to confine and control trafficked people and forced them to scam people globally.

Between January 2023 and September 2026, Amnesty International interviewed 151 scamming compound survivors and reviewed records concerning more than 400 additional victims. Researchers identified 86 compounds, visiting 82 of them, and found security guards at every compound. 

In this latest report, Amnesty identifies the private business companies responsible for guarding the compounds and abusing the victims. We also geolocated videos from more than 200 security guards’ TikTok accounts to 23 compounds across Cambodia until August 2026. The new evidence collected by Amnesty links more than 20 members of the military and police to the private security companies that guard scamming compounds and to at least 22 of the 86 compounds.

Amnesty’s report also connects various prominent business and political figures to these security companies – including a former bank CEO, a property developer and the son of a former deputy prime minister. 

Survivors consistently described guards as responsible for preventing escape, while many reported guards beating people who attempted to flee. Survivors also described guards administering electric shocks and beatings, detaining people in “dark rooms” and standing guard while compound managers raped women.

At the compound Park 8, also known as PV01, “Maia”, a woman from Cameroon, said guards restrained her on arrival and later took her to a dark room where managers raped her while guards stood outside. “Gabe”, a Ugandan survivor at the same compound, described being chained above basins of water, beaten for hours and shocked with an electric baton.

Most of the 151 survivors interviewed said guards carried or had immediate access to electric shock batons. Several reported seeing guards or other people carrying firearms.

“When guards escort trafficked people to punishment rooms or stand watch during rape and torture, they are enabling these abuses – and so too are the supposedly legitimate corporate actors who employ them,” Agnès Callamard said.

“Investigations must assess and follow responsibility from the lowest ranks all the way upwards to the companies, including the managers and owners who recruited, deployed and controlled security guards at scamming compounds.” 

Five companies linked to at least 23 compounds

Amnesty International identified five private companies that guarded compounds where serious human rights abuses were documented. Three had links to Cambodian authorities.

Leap Somnang had the largest footprint of the companies identified and was linked to at least 15 compounds across eight provinces. Twelve survivors identified the company’s guards, uniforms or logo. All said its guards stopped them leaving compounds under threat of violence, while several described guards participating in beatings, electric shocks and keeping the victims in prolonged isolation.

Security Response, a company with close links to the Panda Bank and Huione corporate network, was linked to five compounds, including Park 8 (PV01). 

ZD Security, formerly BIC Security, was linked to two compounds in Botum Sakor, including Long Bay (BS04), where survivors described torture and other ill-treatment, forced labour, unlawful confinement and violence against people trying to leave. 

Dara Security was linked to two compounds in Sihanoukville, while Best Security was linked to a Bavet compound where Amnesty documented human trafficking, forced labour and child labour. 

Amnesty’s report finds that at least three high-ranking military and police officers had links to compounds, strongly indicating involvement with the industry:

• The company Leap Somnang is controlled by Ban Sophat, who publicly served as its chairman while also being a Colonel in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. 
• Amnesty’s analysis showed phone numbers for Deputy Police Chief Lay Channy listed on an advertisement for Best Security. Channy was involved in the crackdown in Bavet, where Best Security guarded a compound. 
• Brigadier General Tek Bunthoeun has a direct, and potentially controlling, interest in the property development comprising the BM02 compound, where Amnesty documented torture, confinement and forced labour.

Amnesty also identified multiple prominent figures with apparent business connections to compounds, without making any finding as to their personal responsibility for the abuses documented in the report. Amnesty International wrote to each corporate actor and individual identified in this report, and the full responses received are included in the report.

Links to military and police demand investigation

Amnesty International analysed official uniforms, insignia, identification numbers, public records and social-media timelines to help pinpoint precisely where and when military and police personnel were present at compounds.

In three compounds, apparent active military personnel were seen training, leading or supervising guards. In other cases, Amnesty identified apparent state personnel carrying firearms or occupying guard positions. 

“The evidence suggests military and police involvement in a number of scamming compounds that helps explain how abuses at these sites persisted despite years of public reporting and repeated law-enforcement operations,” Agnès Callamard said. 

Closure without accountability

Following a government crackdown launched in July 2025, large-scale scamming compound operations currently appear to be dormant. However, Amnesty International is unaware of investigations into the five security companies profiled in the report, their owners and managers or the wider commercial and state connections documented. 

Prior to the publication of Amnesty’s report, Cambodian authorities responded on 15 October noting that 77 police officers had been disciplined in connection with scamming compounds. 

Meanwhile, in response to Amnesty’s findings, Sophat Ban denied holding any ownership, director or management role in Leap Somnang, stating that he had “served as an advisor to the company owner”.

Best Security denied Lay Channy had any control over the company despite acknowledging that his phone number appeared on a company sign. Security Response denied all allegations made in Amnesty’s report, and Best Security responded that it “has no history of providing services at location BA06” and said would consider “legal action if someone has stolen (the) company’s uniform.”

Amnesty International is calling on the Cambodian authorities to establish prompt, independent and adequately resourced investigations into private security companies connected to compounds; investigate apparent serving military and police personnel involved in compound security; suspend company licences while credible allegations of serious abuse are investigated; and ensure victims have access to effective remedies and reparations.

Many of the abuses documented could constitute serious crimes under international law and Cambodian law. This includes by security guards who participated in abuses, as well as managers, executives and directors of the security companies who were aware of them.

“Even if scamming compounds are dormant at the time of publishing this report, our findings clearly show that the infrastructure of impunity has not been dismantled,” Agnès Callamard said.

“Largely in response to international outcry over the scamming compounds, the Cambodian authorities have announced a range of crackdown measures. But a crackdown measured only in raids, arrests and deportations risks leaving the architects and enablers untouched. Cambodia will not have ended this abusive industry until it has held to account those who staffed, managed, financed and protected this abusive system.”

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