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3w ago

Congress Probes Starlink’s Role in Myanmar Scam Compounds as Evidence Shows Widespread Use

The inquiry follows evidence linking the unlicensed network to rebuilt forced‑labour scam compounds on the Myanmar–Thailand border.

This photo taken on September 17, 2025 shows advertisements for gambling sites and what appears to be Starlink satellite dishes on the roofs of buildings at KK Park complex in Myanmar's eastern Myawaddy township.
Image
Scam city: a part of KK Park, the biggest scam centre in the cluster of 27 around Myawaddy, Myanmar
Barbed wire and Starlinks: like other scam centres, KK Park is surrounded by high fences and armed guards

Overview

  • APNIC routing data shows Starlink rose to become Myanmar’s largest internet provider daily from July 3 to October 1 after not appearing during the February crackdown.
  • AFP analysis of Planet Labs imagery and drone footage documents rapid rebuilding at Myawaddy sites, with extensive Starlink dishes visible at KK Park and activity at the Shwe Kokko complex.
  • Authorities in China, Thailand and Myanmar freed about 7,000 people in February, yet construction, new roads and additional river crossings indicate the compounds quickly resumed operations.
  • Senator Maggie Hassan urged Elon Musk to cut access to the fraud hubs, while prosecutors say they warned Starlink in 2024 of criminal use; SpaceX has not responded to AFP requests for comment.
  • Britain and the United States announced sanctions targeting scam-centre masterminds, and U.S. prosecutors moved to seize up to $15 billion in crypto linked to a Cambodia-based network as Treasury estimates Americans lost $10 billion in 2024.