Figure 1: A visual from a US Treasury press release showing the relationship and dynamics of actors and businesses tied to Shwe Kokko, highlighting the close ties (Source: United States Department of the Treasury). On 16 June 2020, the Myanmar government launched an investigation into Myanmar Yatai and its activities in Shwe Kokko. This included illegal casinos and breaches of investment regulations. Despite this, the project continued to develop after the February 2021 coup, with the KBGF reportedly securing a deal with the Myanmar military to allow the ongoing development of the scam compound in return for military support. 2.2​ KEY ACTORS Shwe Kokko’s development over the years has been dictated by a group of actors and units whose roles altered as the site expanded; despite these changes, they still remained closely linked to the same power structure. One of the most important actors is Saw Chit Thu, who transferred from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) to the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and later became the leader of the KBGF. In 2024, the KBGF rebranded as the Karen National Army (KNA) and said it would no longer rely on support or facilities from the Myanmar military. Reports at the time described this move as a shift toward independence and peacebuilding; however, the transition still appears to www.info-res.org​ ​ ​ www.myanmarwitness.org ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4