Trump-Backed World Liberty Partner Tied to Sanctioned Cambodian Scam Network, Investigation Reveals

An explosive investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Guardian Australia has uncovered troubling links between World Liberty Financial’s partner, AB network, and figures sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for involvement in a sprawling Cambodian scam network.

World Liberty Financial, a crypto project launched in 2024 with backing from Donald Trump and the Witkoff family, partnered with AB network to promote a “blockchain theme resort” in Timor-Leste. This luxury crypto destination was tied to a local development company with $10 million in capital, whose majority shareholder, Yang Jian, was sanctioned last October for working with Chen Zhi, CEO of the Cambodia-based Prince Group. The Prince Group is accused by U.S. authorities of orchestrating one of the world’s largest online scam operations, generating tens of billions annually through fraud schemes across Southeast Asia.

The U.S. crackdown on the Prince Group included a record $15 billion Bitcoin seizure and sanctions on key figures, including Yang Jian. The Timor-Leste project removed the sanctioned individuals shortly after these actions, and there is no evidence that illicit funds flowed into the resort development or that AB network is directly linked to the Prince Group.

Still, the revelations come amid a surge in crypto fraud in the U.S., with the FBI reporting nearly $21 billion lost to online scams in 2025 alone—over half of which involved cryptocurrency.

World Liberty Financial insists it conducted due diligence and denies any knowledge of the Timor-Leste project or ties to sanctioned figures. Lawyers for the company called claims of association “unfounded and untrue,” emphasizing their commitment to compliance.

The opaque corporate structure of AB network complicates the picture. The network operates through an Irish nonprofit, a Cayman Islands foundation, and blockchain entities governed by token holders. OCCRP’s reporting identified undisclosed key figures, including software developer Sui Chenggang and entrepreneur Lin Xiaofan. Lin, who led the Timor-Leste resort project, denies links to the Prince Group and says he introduced Sui to World Liberty executives.

Despite removing promotional material for the resort after inquiries, AB network continues to tout its partnership with World Liberty and its roster of political advisers. However, adoption of World Liberty’s stablecoin USD1 on AB’s blockchain remains limited, with just over 3,000 holders and a maximum supply of about $3.6 million.

This investigation exposes the tangled web of crypto ventures connected to the Trump family, raising urgent questions about oversight, accountability, and the risks of political figures enriching themselves through unregulated financial schemes. As online scams proliferate and billions vanish, transparency and rigorous scrutiny have never been more critical.

World Liberty Financial did not respond to further requests for comment.