The "Heng Sethy Incident" is one of the scandals that has attracted widespread attention in Cambodian society in recent years, involving Cambodian-born Singaporean tycoon Heng Sethy and his complex relationships with Cambodian politics, police, and transnational online gambling groups. The incident began with an exposé at the end of 2024, went through several reversals, and finally ended with Heng Sethy being extradited from Russia to Cambodia to face trial.
1. Beginning of the Incident: Exposing Online Gambling and Corruption
In November 2024, Heng Sethy posted a lengthy accusation on social media, claiming that the former governor of Sihanoukville, Guo Zongren, was suspected of accepting bribes from Pan Yucheng, the founder of the online gambling group "AFB88," to protect their illegal gambling activities in Cambodia.
He further accused the director of the Cambodian National Police, Su Tong, of accepting a bribe of 5 million US dollars, using his authority to protect the operation of the gambling park. These accusations quickly attracted public attention and triggered a strong reaction from the Cambodian government.
2. Counterattack and Arrest Warrant
In response to Heng Sethy's public accusations, the Cambodian National Police issued a statement on December 30, 2024, denying Su Tong's bribery allegations and demanding that Heng Sethy immediately correct the false information he had released.
However, Heng Sethy did not retract his statements but continued to post more accusations on social media, even claiming that Pan Yucheng employed cyber armies and technicians to operate gambling websites in Cambodia, with assets totaling over 1 billion US dollars, and had casinos in Sihanoukville and the Vietnam border. These statements further angered the Cambodian government.
On January 13, 2025, the Cambodian Ministry of Interior issued an arrest warrant, accusing Heng Sethy of "defamation, extortion, and spreading false information," demanding his immediate return to face charges.
However, Heng Sethy was not in Cambodia, and his whereabouts were unknown. It was reported that Heng Sethy met Pan Yucheng through a sports car event in 2021, subsequently investing 10 million US dollars in his hotel project, but only recouped 5 million dollars.
He also accused Pan Yucheng of conspiring with Hun To to steal his land worth 250 million US dollars. These accusations made the situation even more complicated.
3. Flight and Arrest
After being wanted, Heng Sethy was believed to have fled Cambodia. In January 2025, he was arrested by Russian police in Saint Petersburg.
Following a request from Cambodia, Russian police detained Heng Sethy. This action attracted international attention, especially against the backdrop of the extradition agreement between Cambodia and Russia.
On May 24, 2025, the director of the Cambodian National Police, Su Tong, told the media that according to the extradition agreement between Cambodia and Russia, Heng Sethy was extradited back to Cambodia that evening.
He will soon face trial in Phnom Penh. Previously, Heng Sethy had released an audio demanding Su Tong's immediate resignation, otherwise, he would publicize evidence of his bribery. However, Su Tong denied Heng Sethy's accusations and stated that he would pursue legal responsibilities according to the law. Currently, Heng Sethy is detained, awaiting further legal proceedings. Tencent News +1 Tencent News +1
4. Impact of the Incident
The "Heng Sethy Incident" reveals the challenges Cambodia faces in combating transnational online gambling and corruption. The multiple accusations involved high-level government officials, police, and transnational criminal groups, reflecting the deficiencies in governance transparency and the rule of law in Cambodia.
Furthermore, as a wealthy whistleblower, the authenticity and motives behind Heng Sethy's statements have also raised public skepticism. The final handling of the incident will have a profound impact on Cambodia's judicial independence and the government's anti-corruption capabilities.
