A former Santa Clara County prosecutor is helping expose a growing international scam network that federal officials say has defrauded countless victims through email and text-based schemes. The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced charges against Chen “Vicent” Zhi, who is accused of orchestrating a large-scale cybercrime operation based out of Southeast Asia.

Zhi is alleged to be the mastermind behind a criminal enterprise operating out of Cambodia, where he reportedly leads a conglomerate known as The Prince Group. According to investigators, this organization is responsible for running at least 10 so-called scam compounds—high-security facilities where individuals are often trafficked or coerced into working under harsh conditions. Inside these compounds, workers are forced to pose as romantic interests, government officials, or tech support agents in order to trick people—often Americans—into handing over large sums of money, personal data, or cryptocurrency.

Federal authorities have taken significant action, including the seizure of an estimated $15 billion worth of Bitcoin from Zhi, signaling one of the largest cryptocurrency crackdowns related to online fraud in recent memory.

One of the key figures bringing attention to these scams is Erin West, a former prosecutor from Santa Clara County who has spent years investigating online financial crimes. West recently traveled to Cambodia to get a firsthand look at the scope of these operations. During her trip, she spoke with victims, whistleblowers, and individuals who escaped the scam compounds. Her findings paint a disturbing picture of modern-day slavery and high-tech fraud working hand in hand.

In response to what she uncovered, West founded a nonprofit organization called Operation Shamrock, which is dedicated to uncovering and dismantling transnational scam networks. The organization also works to raise awareness about human trafficking linked to cybercrime and to assist in the recovery of stolen funds for victims around the globe.

“What’s happening in these compounds isn’t just fraud—it’s human rights abuse,” West said in a recent interview. “People are being lured with promises of jobs, only to be imprisoned and forced to scam others. And many of their targets are vulnerable individuals, including the elderly, who can lose everything in these schemes.”

Through Operation Shamrock, West aims to create international partnerships with law enforcement, human rights organizations, and tech platforms to combat these scams more effectively. Her work underscores the increasingly global nature of cybercrime and the need for coordinated action to dismantle the networks enabling it.

As federal authorities continue their crackdown on criminal enterprises like the one led by Zhi, experts warn that these scams are evolving and expanding, making public awareness and international cooperation more critical than ever.