Synopsis: Scheme collapses after officials refuse money, leading to arrests by the Anti-Corruption Unit.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on April 30 sentenced five former police officers to prison terms of five to seven years for trying to bribe officials of the Commission for Combating Online Scams and a prosecutor to get 43 Thai scammers freed.
The group, which offered $774,000, was arrested by Cambodian authorities in Poipet City, Banteay Meanchey province in 2025. However, the bribery attempt ultimately failed after officials refused to accept the payments.
Presiding Judge Yem Tola identified the accused as Vorn Veasna, 38, former lieutenant colonel and deputy chief of Bavel district police; Taing Samnang, 43, former major and assistant to the Deputy Director-General of the General Department of Technical Materials at the Ministry of Interior; and three other officers—Heng Sokna, 39; Mony Sokdaro, 44; and Sab Phearon, 46.
Veasna and Samnang were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) on May 23, 2025. The remaining three suspects are still at large.
The court sentenced Veasna to seven years, and a fine of 500 million riel (about $125,000). Samnang was given a five-year term, including two years of suspended sentence.
Sokna and Phearon were each sentenced in absentia to six years, while Sokdaro was handed a five-year term. Arrest warrants have been issued for all three.
All five were charged with attempted bribery and money laundering under Article 32 of the Law on Anti-Corruption, Articles 27 and 605 of the Criminal Code, and Article 38 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Financing.
