Cambodian businessman and senator Ly Yong Phat, who was sanctioned by the United States over alleged abuses linked to online scam operations, was among the businessmen who funded a new building inaugurated for Cambodia’s Senate on Friday.
King Norodom Sihamoni officially opened the Solidarity Palace on 21 August, with Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet among senior officials attending the ceremony.
Ly was present at the event and was named first among 11 donors listed inside the building.
US authorities sanctioned Ly and his business interests in 2024, alleging that his company was involved in serious human rights abuses against people trafficked to work in scam compounds. Ly has rejected allegations connecting him to cybercrime and money laundering, calling them false and harmful to his reputation.
The newly opened building was initiated by Hun Sen and is intended primarily to host foreign delegations and other official functions. It stands alongside existing Senate facilities and features offices, a reception area and a rooftop helipad.
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said the project was entirely designed, constructed and financed by Cambodians. Officials did not announce how much the building cost.
Ly’s involvement as a major donor comes as Cambodia faces continued international scrutiny over its role as a centre for large-scale online scam operations. Criminal networks operating in the country have been accused of trafficking workers into scam compounds and defrauding victims worldwide.
Cambodian authorities have said they are intensifying efforts against the industry.
Another donor listed for the project is businessman Hun To, a cousin of Hun Manet. Hun To acknowledged previously holding a 30% stake in Huione Pay, a Cambodian digital payments company later sanctioned by the US over alleged money laundering linked to online scams. He has said he had no role in running the company and received no profits or assets from it.
The US has accused Huione Group, the parent company of Huione Pay, of moving money for criminal networks involved in Southeast Asian cyber scams. Cambodia’s National Bank has subsequently revoked the licences of Huione-related payment platforms.
The inauguration of the Senate building therefore puts Ly, one of Cambodia’s most prominent tycoons, back in the spotlight as Phnom Penh continues to face questions over the country’s fight against the regional scam industry.