PHNOM PENH - Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Unit has detailed an alleged visa-sale scheme that it says generated about $3 million.
The ACU said in an Aug. 29 disclosure detailing its investigation that former director-general Tho Samnang worked with Nop Ratha, a former deputy bureau chief, and contract officer Yos Rane to divert C courtesy visas and CEX visa extensions outside normal procedures.
The ACU alleged the trio diverted 12,000 C and CEX visa stickers. However, its itemized account said Samnang transferred 5,200 Type C stickers and 6,000 CEX stickers to the other two suspects between October 2025 and January 2026, a total of 11,200.
According to the ACU, the visas were issued without required applications or supporting agreements and sold for between $300 and $6,000 each. The agency said recipients included foreign workers connected to online scam operations and casinos. Cambodia’s wider crackdown has also left some foreign workers stranded after suspected scam operations were shut down.
Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration also provided investigators with documents involving irregularly issued C and CEX visas found in the passports of nearly 200 foreign nationals, according to the ACU account.
The investigation also traced substantial financial activity. The ACU said Samnang held 375 bank accounts across seven banks and closed 220 interest-bearing accounts at one bank before withdrawing more than $2 million in January.
The ACU said it had secured court orders to freeze and confiscate $980,000 allegedly laundered by Samnang and $250,000 allegedly laundered by Ratha as state property. Samnang was also alleged to have admitted receiving about $450,000 from the visa transactions.
The case had emerged publicly days earlier. On Aug. 21, ACU spokesman Soy Chanvichet said Samnang was still being questioned and had not been formally arrested. “We will draw a conclusion at the end of the interrogation, as we have not yet reached an arrest,” he said.
Three days later, prosecutors formally charged the suspects. Samnang was charged with offenses including intentional destruction, fraudulent embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering.
CamboJA reported that Ratha and Rane faced charges including conspiracy to commit intentional destruction, fraudulent embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering.
The Aug. 29 ACU disclosure said investigators were preparing three additional charges as the financial and asset-tracing investigation continued.
As the investigation was unfolding, social analyst Meas Nee called for transparency over how broadly the alleged misconduct extended. “Was it just one person or a whole table working together? We hope for a transparent investigation.”