PANews reported on September 9th that, according to Lianhe Zaobao, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against 19 online fraud entities operating in Myanmar and Cambodia, including nine in Myanmar and ten in Cambodia. Some of these entities were protected by the Karen National Army ( KNA ). The US Treasury stated that these groups used forced labor and violence to coerce victims into participating in virtual currency investment scams. In 2024 , the US lost over $ 10 billion to Southeast Asian-related scams.