Thousands of people, including suspected human trafficking victims, have been freed or have escaped from scam compounds across Cambodia recently. The Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh reported 1,440 of its nationals freed from scam centers. Large groups of Chinese nationals gathered outside the Chinese embassy as well. Amnesty International reviewed videos and social media posts showing escape attempts and releases at least 10 scam compounds in Cambodia. They estimate the total freed to be in the thousands. Amnesty’s regional research director Montse Ferrer said police presence in releases was unclear. "In some videos police are visible, while in others they cannot be seen," she stated. Ferrer warned about the lack of post-release support. Some survivors roam looking for help, while others reach safe houses. Without aid, released workers risk being moved to new scam operations. The UN estimates about 100,000 people work inside these Cambodian compounds, many deceived into forced online scams like romance-investment and crypto fraud. Jacob Sims of Harvard University called the recent releases "unprecedented" and linked them to escalating international pressure. This pressure rose notably after the US and UK sanctioned Chen Zhi, a Chinese-born tycoon who ran a transnational scam empire and chaired Prince Group. Chen was arrested and extradited to China recently. The Cambodian government has not commented on these releases but Prime Minister Hun Manet pledged to "eliminate ... all the problems related to the crime of cyber scams." Sims cautioned that without ongoing global pressure, the scam industry, a major income source for the regime, will resurge. The US Trafficking in Persons Report 2024 accuses some senior Cambodian officials of owning properties used for scams and benefiting from these crimes. Cambodia denies complicity and claims a commitment to fighting cybercrime. The United States Institute of Peace estimates Cambodia’s cyber scamming industry generates over $12.5 billion annually, about half of the country's formal GDP.