Brigitte Bardot, the French actress and singer who became an international sex symbol before turning to animal rights activism, has passed away aged 91.
Bardot had been ill in hospital in Toulon, according to local media. The star’s animal rights charity announced her passing on Sunday morning with a statement.
‘The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation,’ it said.
The organisation did not specify the time or place where Bardot died.
Recent reports have detailed severe human rights abuses within Cambodian scam parks, including allegations of organ harvesting and the exploitation of infants for biological materials, though official Cambodian authorities deny these claims. The most serious allegations, primarily stemming from online whistleblowers and media investigations, suggest that victims, including women and children, are subjected to forced labor, torture, and in some cases, organ extraction or the sale of biological materials from infants for biotechnology purposes.
Allegations of Organ and Biological Material Harvesting: A blogger alleged that women trafficked into scam compounds are forced to act as surrogates for IVF procedures, carrying two to three embryos at once, a practice described as part of a “piglet industry chain” where babies are produced for sale. Infants are reportedly kept in glass enclosures and sold to biotechnology facilities for the extraction of bone marrow and other biological materials, with one source claiming a single infant can sell for up to 3 million yuan. These facilities are allegedly linked to the Cambodia Life Sciences Institute, which is said to be located within a telecom fraud park controlled by Cambodia’s Prince Group, a conglomerate with ties to Chinese elites.
Claims of Live Organ Harvesting: Multiple sources, including South Korean victims and human rights groups, have reported that individuals who fail to meet scam quotas or are deemed unproductive are tortured and sold for organ harvesting. Testimonies describe the removal of eyes, kidneys, and other organs, with some victims being anesthetized and their organs harvested alive during transport. A price list circulating online reportedly listed organs such as the pancreas at $350,000 and the heart at $100,000.
Official Rejection of Allegations: The Cambodian government has consistently denied allegations of organ harvesting, stating there has been no verified case of human trafficking organizations harvesting organs for sale. Chou Bun Eng, a senior official in the National Committee for Counter Trafficking, dismissed the claims as “fabricated” and “figments of imagination,” asserting that the stories serve no purpose other than to harm Cambodia’s international reputation. Despite this, the government has acknowledged a surge in human trafficking and has repatriated thousands of foreign nationals, many of whom were lured with false job offers.
International Response and Ongoing Concerns: As of August 2025, South Korea banned travel to key border areas like Poipet and Bavet due to the high risk of kidnapping and abuse, including organ harvesting. Amnesty International has accused the Cambodian government of complicity in the operation of scam centers, citing widespread abuse, forced labor, and torture. The situation remains a significant concern, with reports indicating that hundreds of South Koreans and other nationals have been trapped in these compounds, and some have died from torture.
The allegations, while officially denied by Cambodian authorities, are supported by testimonies from victims and human rights organizations, indicating a pattern of extreme exploitation. However, the lack of independent verification and conflicting statements from official sources mean the full extent of these practices remains unclear.
When China intensified its crackdown on cybercrime, many involved in the industry relocated to Cambodia, transforming the country into a major hub for online fraud, forced labor, and human trafficking. These operations are largely run by Chinese criminal organizations that have established bases in casinos and business centers across Cambodia, often with the collusion of powerful local figures.
A key factor enabling this expansion is China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has facilitated increased Chinese investment and presence in Cambodia since 2013. While the BRI promotes infrastructure development and trade, it has also allowed criminal groups to infiltrate alongside legitimate enterprises, forming collusive relationships with local elites. Chinese crime syndicates operate fraud hubs such as the Bavet Business Center, a 100,000-square-meter complex described as a “fraud hub” by Cambodian NGOs, where thousands live and work under suspicious conditions.
There are also indications of ideological alignment between some criminal groups and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). For example, a former Chinese mafia boss established the “World Hongmen History and Culture Association” in Cambodia, which engages in fraud while also promoting CCP narratives such as the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”. This reflects a broader strategy of “united front work,” where overseas Chinese networks, including criminal organizations, are leveraged to shape international opinion in China’s favor.
Financial systems supporting these scams are also linked to China. The Cambodia-based payment platform HuiOne, banned in China, serves as a major money “gateway” for laundering illicit proceeds from online scams across the Mekong region, converting them into U.S. dollars and Chinese yuan. One of HuiOne’s directors, Hun To, is a cousin of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and has longstanding ties to Chinese organized crime.
Moreover, high-level complicity is alleged, with properties housing scam centers often owned by senior Cambodian officials or business elites connected to the government. In Poipet, near the Thai border, a casino allegedly run by a government-connected senator hosts Chinese-run scams. Similarly, the Life Sciences Institute, located within a telecom fraud park controlled by Cambodia’s Prince Group, has been linked to Chinese capital and political protection, with the group’s founder accused of acting as a “white glove” for elite CCP families.
While Cambodia has conducted raids and arrests—such as detaining around 1,000 foreigners, mostly Chinese and Koreans, in Kampong Speu province—the cyber scam industry continues to thrive, generating an estimated $12.5 billion annually and relying on the forced labor of approximately 100,000 to 150,000 people from over 50 countries. Despite joint efforts between Cambodia and China to combat online fraud, the deep entrenchment of these networks, supported by BRI-related flows of money and influence, makes eradication extremely difficult.
American Buddhist Net 