Sanctions Imposed to Strengthen the Fight Against Transnational Crime

The Isle of Man Government is drawing attention to sanctions implemented by the UK and US Governments targeting a network that operates illegal scam centres deriving from Southeast Asia. The sanctions are wide ranging and will freeze millions of pounds’ worth of property, business and other assets controlled by the network and its enablers, effectively locking them out of the UK financial system.

Sanctions are a vital tool in the global effort to deter, disrupt and dismantle criminal networks. These sanctions reflect the threats identified in the recent typology document published by the FIU and the Isle of Man Government’s 2025 National Statement on eGaming and Financial Crime (NRAS). They strengthen the prevention of the Isle of Man, its people, and its economy from being exploited by increasingly sophisticated transnational criminal enterprises and help safeguard the integrity of local businesses, financial institutions, and the wider economy.

Justice and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson MHK commented: “The Isle of Man is resolute in its commitment to playing a proactive role in the international fight against transnational organised crime. Sanctions are one of the mechanisms we employ to protect our community and uphold the integrity of our financial systems. We will continue to work closely with our partners in the UK and beyond to ensure that those who seek to use the Island for criminality are held to account.”

Scam centres in Cambodia, Myanmar and across the region use fake job adverts to attract foreign nationals to disused casinos or purpose-built compounds, where they are forced to carry out online fraud under threat of torture. Scams often involve building online relationships to convince targets to ‘invest’ increasingly large sums of money into fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes. The proceeds are then laundered using a sophisticated financial ecosystem that includes seemingly legitimate front businesses, online gambling platforms and various payment methods.

In accordance with the Sanctions Act 2024, UK sanctions are automatically applied in the Isle of Man. All persons in business or a profession in the Island, including financial institutions, must check whether they maintain any account, or otherwise hold or control funds or economic resources, for individuals or entities included in the lists and take the necessary actions.

The sanctions reflect the effective cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the Isle of Man and counterparts in the UK and further afield. The Island’s law enforcement authorities continue to work on progressing a number of high value, complex and transnational money laundering cases.

As well as international cooperation, the Isle of Man remains committed to ensuring that its domestic agencies continue to work collaboratively, sharing resources and information where needed, and improvements to domestic information sharing pathways continue to be made where required.

Further guidance on sanctions can be found here: www.gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/sanctions-and-export-control/sanctions-guidance/.