Cambodian PM's Cousin Linked to Huione Pay

Hu Jintao, a cousin of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, publicly acknowledged owning a 30% stake in Huione Group, a digital payments platform. Huione Group is part of Huione Group, which was designated a 'primary money-laundering concern' by the United States government's FinCEN, accused of laundering over $4 billion from transnational criminal groups involved in cyber scams. The former chairman of Huione Group, Li Xiong, who held a 62% stake in Huione Group, was extradited to China for his alleged central role in a major gambling and fraud syndicate. Huione Group's business licenses were revoked by the National Bank of Canada, and its liquidation was completed in October 2025. Protesters have demanded access to their frozen accounts with the Huione platform H-Pay. This event underscores Cambodia's struggle with being a hub for transnational scam operations and the international pressure from the United States and China to combat these illicit activities, with accusations of complicity against some Cambodian officials.