U.S. puts sanctions on Myanmar warlord and militia linked to cyber scams
The United States imposed sanctions on Monday (May 5, 2025) on a Myanmar warlord, his two sons and the militia he leads for facilitating cyber scams, human trafficking and cross-border smuggling, the Treasury Department said.
The Treasury said the warlord, Saw Chit Thu, is a central figure in a network of illicit and highly lucrative cyberscam operations targeting Americans. Hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked by criminal gangs across Southeast Asia in recent years and forced to work in the scam operations, according to the United Nations.
The move puts financial sanctions on Saw Chit Thu, the Karen National Army that he heads, and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, the department said in a statement, freezing any U.S. assets they may hold and generally barring Americans from doing business with them.
Britain and the European Union have already imposed sanctions on Saw Chit Thu.
Saw Chit Thu and his militia could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Karen National Army is headquartered in Shwe Kokko, a so-called "Special Economic Zone" along the Thai-Myanmar border, where the militia leases land and provides security for compounds where trafficked individuals are forced into scamming strangers online, the statement said.
"Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security," said Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender.
Saw Chit Thu's ties to Myanmar's military rulers, evidenced by an honorary title for "outstanding performance" conferred on him by junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing in November 2022, have helped him build his position.
Washington has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Myanmar's junta and its sources of income since the military toppled the elected government of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, igniting a spiraling civil war.
Monday's (May 5, 2025) sanctions were the first Myanmar-related sanctions imposed since President Donald Trump took office in January.
The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network last week proposed banning Cambodian financial firm Huione Group from the U.S. financial system over its alleged role in laundering illicit funds from cyber heists and online scams.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Trump loyalists rewarded in pardon spree
Reality TV stars . Former lawmakers. A sheriff. A nursing home executive. A drug kingpin. What do they have in common? They are among the Americans convicted of crimes who have received pardons from President Donald Trump since he took office in January. And while US presidents have doled out questionable pardons in the past, Trump is doing so "in a bigger, more aggressive way with sort of no sense of shame," said Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. "The pardon power has always been a little bit problematic because it's this completely unconstrained power that the president has," Roosevelt told AFP. "Most presidents have issued at least some pardons where people look at them and they say: 'This seems to be self-serving' or 'This seems to be corrupt in some way.'" Live Events But Trump is doling out pardons "that look like they're almost quid pro quo for financial donations," Roosevelt said. Among those receiving a pardon was Paul Walczak , a nursing home executive convicted of tax crimes and whose mother attended a $1-million-per-plate fund-raising dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in April. Other beneficiaries of Trump pardons include reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were serving lengthy prison sentences for bank fraud and tax evasion. More than half a dozen former Republican lawmakers convicted of various crimes have also received pardons along with a Virginia sheriff sentenced to 10 years in prison for taking $75,000 in bribes. On his first day in office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 as they sought to prevent congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Cambodia, Thailand agree to withdraw troops after deadly border clash
The two nations have a history of disputes along their 817-kilometer border, much of it mapped by France in 1907 while Cambodia was under colonial rule read more Thai and Cambodian soldiers have agreed to a truce after a brief exchange of fire in a disputed border area. (Photo: Al Jazeera) Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to withdraw troops to earlier positions along a disputed section of their shared border after a recent clash left one Cambodian soldier dead, officials from both countries said Sunday (June 8). Cambodia's Defence Ministry said both sides aimed to ease tensions following the May 28 confrontation in an undemarcated area. The agreement followed talks between Cambodian and Thai officials, including Thai Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who confirmed both countries would return to positions established in a 2024 agreement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The incident prompted both nations to reinforce their military presence in the area, though neither government provided details about troop deployments. Calls for diplomacy and legal intervention For days, Thai and Cambodian authorities have issued statements affirming their commitment to resolving the issue peacefully. Thailand's Phumtham said efforts were underway to defuse tensions and that the Joint Boundary Committee is expected to meet on June 14. Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, has renewed its call to bring the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a June 6 letter shared with reporters, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said the historical and sensitive nature of the dispute requires a legal resolution. 'Given the complexity, historical nature, and sensitivity of these disputes, it is increasingly evident that bilateral dialogue alone may no longer suffice to bring about a comprehensive and lasting solution,' Prak said. 'A decision rendered by the ICJ, grounded in international law, would offer a fair, impartial, and durable resolution,' he added. Thailand has rejected international arbitration and insists that all boundary-related issues should be resolved through bilateral talks. The two nations have a history of disputes along their 817-kilometer (508-mile) border, much of it mapped by France in 1907 while Cambodia was under colonial rule. Tensions reminiscent of past clashes The latest flare-up is a reminder of previous conflicts. In 2008, a territorial dispute over an 11th-century Hindu temple escalated into armed skirmishes that lasted several years and left at least a dozen people dead, including during a week-long artillery exchange in 2011. In response to the current tensions, Thailand cut operating hours at 10 official border crossings with Cambodia, citing security concerns. Checkpoints, including the busiest crossing in eastern Sa Kaeo province, now operate from 8 am to 4 pm local time, down from the previous schedule of 6 am to 10 pm, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Sunday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Political backdrop adds complexity The dispute comes at a time of change in both countries' leadership. Previous warm relations between the two governments were partly attributed to the friendship between former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's long-serving leader Hun Sen. Now, with Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Hun Sen's son, Hun Manet, serving as prime ministers, questions have arisen about how the younger leaders will manage the relationship. Despite the tensions, both governments have signaled they intend to maintain diplomatic dialogue. Observers say the outcome of the upcoming boundary talks will test the strength of the current leadership's commitment to resolving long-standing disputes peacefully. With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Thailand and Cambodia say they will return to agreed border positions after fatal clash
Cambodia's Defence Ministry confirmed on Sunday (June 8, 2025) that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to return their troops to previous border positions after a clash in which a Cambodian soldier was killed prompted both to reinforce their military presence. The Cambodian statement, which said both sides wished to ease tensions following the incident in an undemarcated area on May 28, came after Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said both countries were in talks to defuse the situation and would revert to positions agreed in 2024. For days, the two governments have exchanged statements, saying they were committed to finding a peaceful resolution. Neither gave details about where or to what extent their military forces had been reinforced at the weekend. Thailand operates 17 official border crossings with Cambodia, spanning seven provinces along their shared 817 km (508 miles) frontier, Thai government data shows. Both countries have for more than a century contested sovereignty at undemarcated points along their shared border, which was mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. Thailand's Phumtham said both sides hoped the border issue could be fully resolved through bilateral talks, including a meeting of the Joint Boundary Committee on June 14. Cambodia's Foreign Ministry reiterated a request to bring the border disputes to the International Court of Justice in a letter to Thai officials on Friday (June 6, 2025). "Given the complexity, historical nature, and sensitivity of these disputes, it is increasingly evident that bilateral dialogue alone may no longer suffice to bring about a comprehensive and lasting solution," Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said in the note shared with reporters on Sunday (June 8, 2025). "A decision rendered by the ICJ, grounded in international law, would offer a fair, impartial, and durable resolution," he said. The Thai government has said it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction and proposed that all boundary-related issues be resolved through bilateral negotiations. Tensions between the countries escalated in 2008 over an 11th-century Hindu temple, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a week-long exchange of artillery in 2011. In the latest flare up, Thailand cut operating hours at 10 border crossings with Cambodia, citing security concerns. Checkpoints, including the busiest in Thailand's eastern province of Sa Kaeo, halve operating hours on Sunday (June 8, 2025) to 8 a.m. (0100 GMT) to 4 p.m. local time, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., previously, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told reporters. The governments of Thailand and Cambodia previously enjoyed warmer ties, owing to a friendship between former leaders, Thaksin Shinawatra from Thailand and Cambodia's Hun Sen. Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Hun Sen's son, Hun Manet, are now the incumbent prime ministers of their countries and the conflict has raised questions over their relationship.
