Organized crime syndicates running scam operations across Asia-Pacific generated between $88.3 billion and $114.1 billion in losses during 2025, according to a report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. To put that in perspective, the upper end of that range is roughly equivalent to the entire GDP of Morocco.
The UNODC report, published on July 21, paints a picture of criminal enterprises that have essentially industrialized fraud. They’re running what the UN describes as a corporate franchise model, complete with specialized services spanning money laundering, human trafficking, and AI-powered deception.
From Southeast Asia to the Pacific islands
The operations are primarily centered in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines, but as law enforcement pressure mounts in traditional hotspots, these networks have begun relocating to jurisdictions with weaker enforcement capabilities, including East Timor and various Pacific island nations.
The syndicates, predominantly operated by Chinese criminal organizations, have built what UNODC Regional Representative Delphine Schantz calls a system of “corporate franchising.” Victims are lured through investment scams and romance schemes across at least 80 countries.
