Inside the Shadows: A Deep Dive into Sihanoukville's Money Laundering Schemes

Selam Gebrekidan and Joy Dong from The New York Times conducted an extensive investigation into a major money laundering operation in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Their findings expose the intricacies of scams and the methods used to launder money, providing insights into the criminal underbelly post-pandemic.

Investigative reporter Selam Gebrekidan of The New York Times devoted months to untangling the complexity of one of the world's largest money laundering networks. Utilizing a wall filled with diagrams and charts in her Hong Kong apartment, she sought a clear understanding of the sophisticated workings of these criminal operations.

Collaborating with Joy Dong, a reporter-researcher for The Times, they recently published an elaborate investigation detailing how scammers manage to launder their gains. Speaking with multiple individuals involved in this underworld, they dissected each phase of the laundering process to ensure the story was relatable and comprehensible to readers.

The duo initially became intrigued by the phenomena of money laundering around nine months prior. They uncovered significant tips suggesting that Sihanoukville, a vibrant casino hub in Cambodia, had become a notorious center for scamming and money laundering, particularly surging in activity after the global pandemic.

On her visit to Sihanoukville, Gebrekidan was struck by the sight of numerous unfinished buildings scattered throughout the city. These structures, bathed in fluorescent lights late into the night, sparked her curiosity regarding who was residing in them and what illicit activities were taking place within. The overriding question loomed: What operations were occurring behind those unadorned façades?

This inquiry not only highlights the issues surrounding financial crime but also grips the reader with the pressing realities of a broken system flourishing in the dark corners of society. As Gebrekidan explained, “Understanding the depths of these operations was the first step towards revealing them.”