State Department Imposes Visa Restrictions on 32 People Linked to Prince Group Scam Network
Published Sep 21, 2026
The U.S. Department of State announced visa restrictions on 32 individuals connected to the Prince Group, a transnational criminal organization accused of defrauding Americans through cyber-enabled scams. Any valid visas these individuals held have been revoked.
Key points
- The action targets 32 individuals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled fraud against Americans.
- Most of those targeted are affiliated with the Prince Group, a transnational criminal organization already subject to multiple U.S. sanctions.
- The restrictions are imposed under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- Any valid visas held by the 32 individuals have been revoked.
- The Department of the Treasury separately sanctioned 146 Prince Group members and affiliates in October 2025 and 35 more in June 2026.
- The State Department says it will keep using available tools to deny entry to those involved in scam networks targeting Americans.
Who is affected
This action directly affects the 32 named individuals linked to Prince Group and similar cyber scam operations, not the general visa applicant population.
What to do
No action is required from the public; the source does not identify the individuals by name or provide a process for affected parties.
Full text
The complete official text was archived on this site on 2026-10-12. It stays available here even if the source link changes or is removed.
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Announcing Steps to Impose Visa Restrictions on 32 Individuals Connected to Prince Group TCO & Others Scamming Americans
Press Statement
Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Spokesman
Office of the Spokesman
September 21, 2026
Today, the Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 32 individuals responsible for or complicit in defrauding Americans through cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and related activity. The majority of the individuals targeted today are affiliated with the Prince Group, a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that has been the subject of multiple U.S. sanctions actions for its role in defrauding Americans. Any valid visas held by these individuals have been revoked. This action is taken under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Every year, cybercriminals scam Americans out of tens of billions of dollars. In 2025 alone, TCOs in Southeast Asia, like the Prince Group, defrauded Americans out of at least $18.2 billion through cyber-enabled scams. The Department of the Treasury has also acted against the Prince Group, sanctioning 146 members and affiliates in October 2025, followed by an additional 35 in June 2026.
The Trump Administration will use every available tool to protect Americans, dismantle criminal scam networks, and impose costs on those who enable them. Those complicit in devastating families and communities nationwide will be denied entry into the United States.
Tags
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Crime, Human Trafficking, and Illicit Activities
Cybersecurity
Division for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions
Malicious Cyber Activity
Office of the Spokesman
Organized Crime and Gangs
Sanctions and Designations
Section 212(a)(3)(c) Visa Restrictions
Original title: Announcing Steps to Impose Visa Restrictions on 32 Individuals Connected to Prince Group TCO & Others Scamming Americans
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This summary was produced with AI from the official announcement. Only the official source is authoritative.