Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — The U.S. Department of State announced Monday that it is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 32 individuals accused of being responsible for or complicit in defrauding Americans through cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime and related activities. The State Department said the majority of those targeted are affiliated with the Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO), which has been the subject of multiple U.S. sanctions actions over its alleged role in scam operations targeting Americans.
Under the latest action, any valid U.S. visas held by the individuals have been revoked. The State Department said the restrictions are being imposed under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The department said cybercriminal networks scam Americans out of tens of billions of dollars each year. According to the State Department, transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Asia, including the Prince Group, defrauded Americans of at least $18.2 billion in 2025 through cyber-enabled scams.
US Expands Action Against Prince Group
The visa restrictions add to a series of U.S. government actions targeting the Prince Group and other Southeast Asian scam networks. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Prince Group as a Transnational Criminal Organization in October 2025, imposing sanctions on 146 associated individuals and entities. Treasury said the organization operated scam compounds and cyberfraud operations targeting victims in the United States and elsewhere.
Treasury expanded its action against the Prince Group on June 23, 2026, sanctioning nine individuals and 26 entities linked to the organization, including individuals described as leaders, investors in scam compounds and operators of front companies. Treasury said the June action built on its October 2025 designation and was intended to disrupt financial networks connected to scam operations and money laundering.
Visa Restrictions Target Individuals Connected to Cybercrime
The State Department said the latest visa measures are part of broader U.S. efforts to use immigration and other authorities against individuals connected to cybercrime and fraud affecting Americans. The department said those subject to the restrictions will be denied entry to the United States, while previously issued valid visas have been revoked. The action comes as U.S. agencies continue coordinating efforts to disrupt overseas scam networks, financial channels and other infrastructure used to target American victims.
In October 2025, Treasury described the Prince Group as a Cambodia-based transnational criminal organization whose network included scam compounds and businesses involved in online investment scams and money laundering. Treasury said the network had targeted U.S. citizens and others worldwide.
The latest State Department action represents the use of visa restrictions alongside financial sanctions and other enforcement measures aimed at individuals and networks accused of participating in cyber-enabled fraud against Americans.
