U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio [Reuters=Yonhap News]

The U.S. Department of State announced visa restrictions on the 23rd (local time) for individuals involved in cybercrime, fraud, and sextortion targeting Americans.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures target "individuals responsible for or complicit in these crimes," adding that "immediate family members of those who engage in these illicit activities may also be subject to visa restrictions."

Targeting Chinese scam syndicates, Secretary Rubio stated, "These fraudsters, often backed by transnational criminal organizations in China, swindled at least $10 billion from U.S. citizens in 2024 alone."

He further noted, "Criminals operating abroad have particularly targeted American children for sextortion schemes, destroying families and the futures of children."

The previous day, Secretary Rubio held a meeting in Manila, Philippines, with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, where they reached a consensus on responding to transnational crimes, including those originating from "Southeast Asian scam centers."

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has also previously imposed sanctions on individuals associated with the Prince Group, a fraud syndicate based in Cambodia that has engaged in corporate-level crimes worldwide.