Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha has retained two US law firms as he seeks to challenge his inclusion in proposed US legislation targeting transnational online scam networks, according to US Department of Justice filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The agreements with Seiden Law LLP and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP were filed between late May and early June. The contracts are worth a combined $285,000, excluding possible expenses.
Seiden Law said its work would focus on Sokha’s potential inclusion in H.R. 5490, the Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act. The firm said it would communicate with the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and relevant US congressional officials over the matter.
The proposed legislation would require the US president to determine whether listed foreign persons meet sanctions criteria and impose applicable sanctions on those who do. The bill lists Sar Sokha, Hun To and several other Cambodian-linked individuals and entities. Hun To has been described in media reports as a cousin of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Allegations linking Sokha to fraud networks have been tied in media reports to his former role as co-director of Jinbei Investment alongside Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Group, citing Cambodian Ministry of Commerce records. Jin Bei Group was among entities later targeted by US sanctions linked to alleged transnational scam operations.
Sokha has denied any links to such operations. Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak said the minister had engaged lawyers to protect himself, the ministry and Cambodia’s reputation from what he described as slanderous accusations.
