The FBI has spearheaded an unprecedented global campaign to dismantle industrial-scale scam centers that target American citizens and fuel transnational criminal networks, according to senior officials. Under the direction of the Trump administration, the agency has treated these operations as a top priority, deploying a playbook that combines intelligence, international cooperation, and private-sector partnerships to disrupt fraud compounds across Southeast Asia.
In just over a year, the FBI has opened more than 30 cases, helped restrain assets valued at over $15 billion, and driven hundreds of arrests. One of the most significant actions came in April, when the FBI led Operation Sand Dollar alongside Dubai Police and China's Ministry of Public Security. That operation struck nine scam centers run by Asian organized crime groups in the United Arab Emirates, resulting in 311 arrests and the seizure of thousands of devices. Each center was stealing roughly $6 million annually, meaning the operation prevented an estimated $54 million in losses.
Another major victory came through Operation Zephyr Exodus, which targeted the Prince Holding Group, a transnational criminal empire operating guarded compounds in Cambodia. The FBI secured an indictment of the group's CEO for wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy and obtained the forfeiture of approximately 127,000 Bitcoin — then worth about $15 billion. That forfeiture is the largest in U.S. history and effectively gutted the financial engine of a syndicate that had been defrauding everyday Americans.
The agency has also taken action against the Tai Chang scam compound in Burma, seizing domains and $30 million linked to the operation. A joint effort between the FBI's Bangkok office and Thai partners dismantled the Shunda compound, which was linked to hundreds of millions in losses and used a Telegram channel with over 6,000 followers to recruit forced labor for a law enforcement impersonation scam.
Beyond reactive strikes, the FBI has implemented preventive measures through Operation Level Up, an initiative supported by the U.S. Secret Service and other partners. The program proactively identifies potential victims in real time. So far, authorities have notified nearly 9,000 people, about three-quarters of whom were unaware they were being scammed. This effort has prevented an estimated $562 million in losses and led to dozens of referrals for suicide intervention.
To coordinate the fight, the FBI recently hosted its first Scam Center Summit in Thailand, bringing together partners from 18 countries and hundreds of law enforcement agencies. The summit aimed to ensure scam centers cannot regain a foothold in the region. Officials emphasized that the success of these operations relies on ironclad partnerships with organizations such as the Royal Thai Police, Dubai Police, China's Ministry of Public Security, Cambodian National Police, Indonesian National Police, and India's Central Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI has also suspended more than 7,500 terminals, cutting off internet access that powers thousands of scam devices. The agency has freed thousands of trafficking victims from forced-labor compounds through these actions. Looking ahead, FBI officials have announced plans to bulldoze the compounds entirely, targeting every level of syndicate leadership to ensure total dismantlement of these criminal organizations.
