Lim Heng Group Leased 3 Casino-Site Buildings for $200,000 a Month to Scam Hub
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jul 15
Lim Heng Group Leased 3 Casino-Site Buildings for $200,000 a Month to Scam Hub
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jul 15
Summary
A March 2024 lease reviewed by Reuters shows Lim Heng Group rented three buildings at its Royal Hill casino complex for $200,000 a month to a Chinese national tied to a site later found to host large-scale scamming and trafficking.
Reuters linked the contract to the compound through matching building dimensions, a road connecting the casino entrance to the structures, and visits that found fake police stations, bank offices and soundproofed scam-call booths.
Thai security officials say about 3,000 people were housed in the fenced Royal Hill scam park, while a trafficked worker told Reuters guards beat underperformers and forced victims into police-impersonation fraud.
Lim Heng Group did not answer Reuters questions, and Reuters found no evidence it directly ran the fraud; legal experts said landlords could face charges if they knew of criminal use and let it continue.
The findings sharpen scrutiny of Cambodia's anti-scam drive, as U.S. estimates put Americans' 2024 losses to Southeast Asia-based fraudsters at $10 billion and officials investigate the Royal Hill area.
With his resort hosting a massive scam hub, can a powerful Cambodian tycoon truly claim ignorance and avoid all consequences?
A Thai bombing exposed a Cambodian scam city. Was this a strike against crime or a covert act of war?
Inside Southeast Asia’s $21 Billion Scam Crisis: The Royal Hill Raid, Human Trafficking, and the Global Fight Against Cybercrime (2025–2026)
Overview
In December 2025, the Royal Thai Army intervened at the Royal Hill compound, marking the start of a major crackdown on transnational scam operations in Southeast Asia. Thailand presented its actions as a fight against global crime, aiming to protect regional and international security. This intervention led to ongoing investigations, legal actions, and asset seizures targeting key figures and networks. Cambodia, however, disputed Thailand’s claims, arguing that civilian infrastructure was attacked and denying reports of scam compound raids. The aftermath has exposed the vast scale of scam operations, the human cost of forced labor, and the urgent need for stronger reforms and international cooperation.