O'SMACH, Cambodia / BANGKOK ¨C A gambling empire controlled by a powerful Cambodian tycoon ?was the landlord of a compound that was used for industrial-scale scamming and human trafficking operations, a news investigation?has found.
Lim Heng Group leased out buildings on grounds shared with one of its casinos on the Thai-Cambodian border at above-market rates, a rental agreement dated March 2024?shows.?The structures housed rooms that had been transformed to look like police stations and bank offices from multiple countries ¡ª the backdrops for impersonation scams perpetrated on victims worldwide, according to interviews with the Thai military and people who worked in those buildings, as well as two visits this year to the property.
This is the first time the details have been reported regarding Lim Heng Group¡¯s commercial ties to buildings where scams were carried out, which were located just tens of meters away from its casino, Royal Hill.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.