This bill would create an interagency Task Force led by the Secretary of State to coordinate a whole-of-government effort to shut down transnational criminal syndicates that run large online scam operations and use forced labor in compound-style "scam centers." The Task Force must produce a comprehensive U.S. strategy within 180 days, oversee its implementation, consult with federal, state, and local law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners, and submit annual unclassified reports (with possible classified annexes) for five years. The bill requires the President to determine within 180 days whether certain named foreign persons and entities meet criteria for U.S. sanctions and to impose sanctions where appropriate, while allowing a national-security waiver. It also authorizes Department of State programs to provide trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and support services for victims of forced criminality in scam centers. The Task Force would sunset seven years after enactment.
According to the bill, these scam centers have targeted Americans and caused large financial losses. If enacted, the law would direct U.S. agencies to work together to identify and disrupt those operations, pursue sanctions against listed or newly identified foreign actors, seek to recover stolen assets, and set up victim-support programs. The Task Force would also seek partnerships with banks, social media platforms, dating apps, telecom carriers, cryptocurrency exchanges, and others to disrupt scam infrastructure.
The bill authorizes $30,000,000 for the Department of State for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to develop, coordinate, and implement the required strategy. The Task Force must also report recommendations on additional program types the Department of State should support and the level of appropriations those programs would require. No publicly available information on other specific funding amounts or total costs is provided in the bill text.
The bill's findings describe growing, large-scale online cryptocurrency investment scams (often called "pig butchering") run from compounds in parts of Southeast Asia that use forced labor and reportedly target Americans. Proponents in the bill argue a coordinated U.S. response is needed to dismantle the transnational criminal groups, hold enablers and corrupt officials accountable (including with sanctions), build partner capacity, use cyber tools to disrupt operations, recover stolen funds, and support trafficking victims.
No publicly available information.