US Treasury Department imposes sanctions on Burmese militia group alleged to be operating 'pig butchery' complexes

The Karen National Army and its leaders have been sanctioned over allegations of crimes against US citizens, including the theft of cryptocurrency.

Jesse Hamilton | Edited by Nikhilesh De Updated May 5, 2025 3:38 PM Published May 5, 2025 3:22 PM

What you need to know:

• The US Treasury Department has sanctioned a Burmese militia group for allegedly running a sophisticated cybercrime network that stole cryptocurrency assets from US citizens.
• It is claimed that this militia facilitated the so-called “pig butchering” on an industrial scale.

The U.S. Treasury Department has restricted access to the country's financial system for a militia group in Burma that is said to be a major haven for cybercriminals, the Karen National Army.

U.S. authorities said Monday that the organization provided a haven for transnational crime groups that used the KNA-controlled border region to carry out illegal activities such as human trafficking and smuggling. The group, which is believed to have ties to the Burmese military, is also accused of facilitating cyber fraud and cryptocurrency theft on an “industrial scale,” resulting in billions of dollars in losses.

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Under the KNA's control, hotels and casinos were retooled to run sophisticated “pig butchering” scams that tricked U.S. citizens into fake romantic relationships and stole cryptocurrency, according to the Treasury Department. The scam participants were often captured or pressured to carry out months-long thefts, sometimes using attractive models to participate in video calls.

In the new U.S. sanctions, which also target the organization's leader, Soe Chit Thu, and his sons, Soe Htoo E Moo and Soe Chit Chit, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control blocks any use of U.S. assets or interactions with U.S. persons or entities.

The move comes on the heels of moves by the US last week to cut off Cambodian company Huione Group from the financial system. Huione reportedly provides a money-laundering channel for criminal groups in Southeast Asia.

Read more: Cambodian Huione Group Raised $98 Billion in Cryptocurrency, Leading to US Crackdown: Elliptic

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