US Imposes Visa Bans on 32 People Tied to Prince Group Scam Network

The US State Department has imposed visa restrictions on 32 individuals accused of taking part in schemes that defrauded American citizens through cyber-enabled crime, technology-driven criminal operations and other related offences.

Speaking on September 22, State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott said the group of 32 is connected to Prince Group, an organisation the US has labelled a transnational criminal organisation (TCO) and has repeatedly sanctioned for its part in scamming Americans.

While the department declined to name the individuals, it confirmed in a statement that every valid visa held by them had been cancelled under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The announcement noted that cybercriminals steal tens of billions of dollars from Americans annually. In 2025 alone, Southeast Asian TCOs, Prince Group among them, are estimated to have defrauded US citizens of at least $18.2 billion through online scams.

A Series of US Actions Against Prince Group

In October 2025, the US Treasury Department also moved against Prince Group, sanctioning 146 members and associates while seizing billions of dollars in assets. Earlier in June, the Treasury had placed nine individuals and 26 companies on its sanctions list.

Pigott stressed that President Donald Trump's administration would deploy every available tool to safeguard Americans, break up scam operations and penalise anyone backing such activity.

"Those involved in destroying families and communities across the country will be barred from entering the US," he said.

Timing Ahead of Regional Conference

The measures against the Cambodia-based Prince Group, whose licence has since been revoked, were announced just one day before Cambodia hosted an international conference on tackling technology-facilitated scams on September 23 and 24. More than 20 countries and several international bodies, including the US FBI, were expected to attend.