The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on a criminal network accused of trafficking Kenyans and other foreign nationals to Southeast Asia, where victims are forced to work in online scam centres.
The US Embassy in Nairobi said hundreds of Kenyans had been rescued from scam compounds in the region in 2026 following efforts to disrupt the networks behind the operations.
In a statement on Friday, November 6, the embassy said the sanctions were aimed at organisations involved in recruiting and transporting people abroad for forced labour in online fraud operations.
The measures were announced on Thursday, November 5, and target four individuals and 41 entities linked to the Cambodia-based Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organisation.
According to the US Department of State, the network targets victims in the United States and other countries through cyber-enabled fraud schemes. Many of the operations are reportedly run from large compounds in Southeast Asia.
The latest sanctions target individuals and companies accused of providing financial and other support to the organisation. They build on earlier measures announced in October 2025 and June 2026.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Washington would continue pursuing criminal networks involved in cybercrime, fraud and extortion.
The sanctions are being enforced by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which is targeting the financial and corporate structures believed to support the network’s activities.
In a separate action, the US also sanctioned Malaysian national Chui Kok Wa, who is accused of managing a network of scammers based in Madagascar. The network allegedly defrauded American victims through schemes that included targeting digital assets.
Charges against Chui were unsealed on October 27 at the US District Court for the District of Columbia. He was accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Kenya has previously been identified as a source of victims recruited through fake overseas job opportunities. Some Kenyans have been lured to Southeast Asia with promises of employment before being forced to take part in online scams.
The latest action comes as Kenya continues to face concerns over human trafficking. The 2025 US Trafficking in Persons Report retained the country in Tier 2, a category for governments that do not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but are making significant efforts to address the problem.
