Treasury Sanctions Burma Armed Group and Companies Linked to Organized Crime Targeting Americans

WASHINGTON - Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), a Burmese armed group, along with four of its senior leaders, for supporting cyber scam centers in Burma that target Americans using fraudulent investment schemes. OFAC is also designating Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Company Limited (Trans Asia), Troth StarCompany Limited (Troth Star), and Thai national Chamu Sawang, who are linked to Chinese organized crime and have worked with the DKBA and other armed groups to develop these scam centers. The revenue generated by scam center workers-who are often themselves victims of human trafficking-supports organized crime and allows the DKBA to finance its harmful activities.

"Criminal networks operating out of Burma are stealing billions of dollars from hardworking Americans through online scams," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. "These same networks traffic human beings and help fuel Burma's brutal civil war. The Administration will keep using every tool we have to go after these cybercriminals-wherever they operate-and to protect American families from their exploitation."

This action was taken in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) San Diego field office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, the criminal division of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Today, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, together with the Criminal Division of Department of Justice, the FBI, and the USSS, is also announcing the establishment of a Scam Center Strike Force. Recognizing the immense impact of Southeast Asian scam centers on Americans, the Scam Center Strike Force has tasked agents and attorneys from offices across these agencies to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute the most egregious Southeast Asian scam centers and their leaders, with a focus on Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. The Scam Center Strike Force will work collaboratively with OFAC, the Department of State, and other agencies to use all tools available to the government to disrupt scam centers at the highest levels through sanctions, seizures, and criminal prosecution of individuals; securing U.S infrastructure against use by scammers; and supporting and protecting U.S. victims of these scams through public education and restitution.

AN ONGOING EFFORT TO PROTECT VICTIMS

These designations follow Treasury actions undertaken to combat Burma-based illicit actors perpetrating these scams. On May 5, 2025, OFAC designated the Karen National Army (KNA), a Burma armed group, as a transnational criminal organization (TCO), along with its leader Saw Chit Thu and his two sons Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, for their roles in facilitating human trafficking and cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens. On September 8, 2025, OFAC designated twelve companies and two individuals based in Cambodia and Burma, including two subordinates of KNA leader Saw Chit Thu, that are involved in the operation of networks of scam compounds in Southeast Asia.

These designations build on Treasury's efforts to protect victims from scams operating across Southeast Asia. On October 14, 2025, OFAC, in coordination with the UK's Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, designated the Prince Group, a Cambodian business conglomerate that operates scam centers housing cyber scam operations targeting U.S. and UK persons, as a TCO, and sanctioned 146 associated persons. Concurrently, Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a final rule pursuant to section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act that severed Cambodia-based Huione Group from the U.S. financial system.

Huione Group has laundered proceeds of cyber heists carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and for transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Asia perpetrating virtual currency investment scams. Other actions include OFAC's designations of Philippines-based computer infrastructure company Funnull Technology Inc. on May 29, 2025, and Ly Yong Phat, his conglomerate L.Y.P. Group, and four of his hotels and resorts on September 12, 2024.

CYBER SCAMS TARGETING AMERICANS

Criminals primarily based in Southeast Asia are increasingly targeting Americans through large-scale cyber scam operations. A U.S. government estimate reported that Americans lost at least $10 billion in 2024 to Southeast Asia-based scam operations, a 66 percent increase over the prior year.

Southeast Asia-based criminal organizations often recruit individuals to work in scam centers under false pretenses. Using debt bondage, physical violence, and the threat of forced prostitution, the scam center operators coerce individuals to scam strangers online using messaging apps or by sending text messages directly to a potential victim's phone. According to FinCEN's September 2023 alert on virtual asset investment scams, those involved in these scams often use the promise of potential romantic relationships or friendships to gain the trust of their victims. They then convince their targets to make purported "investments" in virtual assets on websites that are designed to look like legitimate investment platforms, but are actually controlled by the scammers themselves. Ultimately, these scammers steal the funds deposited on the platforms under their control.

The scam operators specifically look to recruit individuals with English language skills to target American victims. Former scammers have reported that they were directed to specifically target Americans, and some even had quotas for the number of targets per day. Individual U.S. victims of these scams have in some cases lost millions of dollars or their entire life savings.

ARMED GROUPS AND SCAM COMPOUNDS IN BURMA

One compound known to have housed cyber scam operations that have targeted and stolen money from Americans is Tai Chang, located near Myawaddy in Burma's Karen State. The compound is located in territory controlled by the DKBA, an armed group that has supported Burma's ruling military regime in the country's civil conflict. The Tai Chang compound was founded by Sai Kyaw Hla, a brigadier general and senior leader of the DKBA, and Trans Asia, a Mae Sot, Thailand-based company that serves as a front for China-based TCOs to invest in scam centers. Trans Asia has also entered into land lease contracts with other entities-including the OFAC-designated KNA and the Burma-based company Troth Star-to develop other scam compounds, including the Huanya compound and the notorious KK Park compound, both located in Myawaddy in Karen State. Scam operators working at these compounds have frequently targeted and stolen money from U.S. persons.

The DKBA not only provides security for the Tai Chang compound and permits its continued operation, but also actively participates in violence against victims of human trafficking trapped inside the compound. DKBA soldiers have been filmed beating handcuffed scam workers. Rescued victims have claimed that they were subjected to electric shocks, being hung by their arms inside dark rooms, and other brutal treatment. For its participation in these scam operations, the DKBA receives funding that it uses to support its ongoing illicit activities. The DKBA partners with Chinese organized crime on drug, human, arms, and wildlife trafficking, as well as money laundering.

OFAC is designating Trans Asia, Troth Star, the DKBA, and Sai Kyaw Hla pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as further amended by E.O. 13757, E.O. 14144, and E.O. 14306 ("E.O. 13694, as further amended"), for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or substantial part, outside the United States that are reasonably likely to result in, or have materially contributed to, a threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States and that have the purpose of or involve causing a misappropriation of funds or economic resources, intellectual property, proprietary or business confidential information, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain. OFAC is also designating Trans Asia, Troth Star, the DKBA, and Sai Kyaw Hla pursuant to E.O. 14014 for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in or attempted to engage in, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Burma.

SENIOR LEADERS OF SCAM-ASSOCIATED ENTITIES

OFAC is also taking action against the senior leaders of DKBA and Trans Asia, who benefit directly from the revenue these scam compounds generate, at the expense of victims inside and outside the compounds. Saw Steel is the commander-in-chief of the DKBA, Saw Sein Win is the adjutant general of the DKBA, and Saw San Aung is the chief of staff of the DKBA. Chamu Sawang, also known as Yu Jianjun, is the director of Trans Asia.

OFAC is designating Saw Steel, Saw Sein Win, and Saw San Aung pursuant to E.O. 13694, as further amended, for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of the DKBA, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13694, as further amended. OFAC is also designating Saw Steel, Saw Sein Win, and Saw San Aung pursuant to E.O. 14014 for being or having been leaders or officials of the DKBA, an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14014 as a result of activities related to the leaders' or official's tenures.

Additionally, OFAC is designating Chamu Sawang pursuant to E.O. 13694, as further amended, for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Trans Asia, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13694, as further amended. OFAC is also designating Chamu Sawang pursuant to E.O. 14014 for being or having been leaders or officials of Trans Asia, an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14014 as a result of activities related to the leader's or official's tenure.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Violations of OFAC regulations may result in civil or criminal penalties. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated or otherwise blocked today.

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