Former American businessman detained in Myanmar after alleged financial misconduct

BANGKOK (AP) — Former president of the American Chamber of Commerce Myanmar He was detained after returning to Yangon after the organization said it was investigating suspicious financial transactions made by former board members.

Adam Castillo, founder and owner of security risk management firm AGS Myanmar, was detained at Yangon International Airport on Thursday, according to an employee who spoke on condition of anonymity citing security concerns.

Castillo’s company told The Associated Press it was an “ongoing matter” and declined further comment. Castillo did not respond to an email sent through his personal website.

The US State Department said it was aware of reports that an American had been detained in Myanmar but could not comment further “due to privacy concerns.”

Myanmar’s military-backed government has not issued any official statement. The government, the Yangon regional government office and the Yangon Regional Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. Amid civil war, officials in Myanmar rarely speak to international media.

However, several publications close to the military, including NP News, reported that Castillo was arrested after the American Chamber of Commerce filed a complaint against him. He served as president of the organization between 2023 and 2025.

Asked about the complaint, the chamber’s director general, Myat Phyu The, said he could not give details, but that the organization’s May 29 annual report “covers the current matter.” The organization promotes American businesses.

The report states that the current board uncovered questionable transactions “by former board representatives” last year and referred the matter to a law firm for review.

Investigators discovered that a “former board representative” signed a contract with a Washington-based public relations firm in November 2024 that paid him $300,000 “apparently collected and distributed outside AMCHAM Myanmar’s accounts.”

“The signature exceeded the signature limits of individual board representatives; the board never ratified the agreement,” the report said. “AMCHAM Myanmar received no funds, made no payments, received no services, and the matter was not disclosed to statutory auditors.”

The report notes that “two former members of the board” are involved in the case, but does not specify their names nor what legal action was taken by the organization. Myat Phyu The did not elaborate.

A statement published on the organization’s website on June 12 said its board of directors “has taken appropriate steps to protect the interests of the organization and its members.”

Myanmar has been rocked by violence since the military overthrew democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and brutally suppressed non-violent protests that followed. This triggered armed resistance by pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic minority militias who sought to overthrow military rulers.

Since the military took over, Myanmar has seen an increase in reported detentions of foreigners, particularly foreign journalists covering the political crisis.

Founded in 2013, AGS Myanmar states on its website that it offers services such as commercial cleaning and pest control in addition to security.

Castillo’s company bio says he is a former U.S. Marine Corps officer who served in Afghanistan and is the current chairman of “Republican Overseas Myanmar,” which was said to have been formed in 2024 to promote “America First policies in Myanmar and throughout the region.”

It was not immediately clear where Castillo went before returning to Myanmar and being detained. However, posts on his Instagram account show that the day before his arrest, he attended a business forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he was promoting a recently released book.

Castillo’s memoir, “Finding Our Voice,” describes her experiences amid the political turmoil, violence and economic collapse following the military takeover in Myanmar, according to its synopsis.

It was unclear whether the book played any role in his detention.