Police have detained 10 suspects tied to a Thai-Chinese scam group that allegedly stole billions of baht. The arrests occurred during raids across Bangkok and other provinces, including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Samut Prakan.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) revealed that those arrested include six Thai nationals—four women and two men—and four Chinese men. They face fraud-related charges, computer crimes, money laundering, and illegal activities.
The suspects were identified as Atchara, 27; Porntip, 44; Nopawit, 31; Chonlathee, 21; Pantharee, 26; Supawadee, 39; Gao, 35; Xiong, 30; Mao, 46; and Zhou, 44.
Authorities said the gang lured victims via social media, offering jobs that involved clicking “likes” online. After earning a small amount, victims were encouraged to invest, with promises of 30-50% returns. Initially, victims received payouts, but communication stopped shortly after.
The investigation began when a victim filed a complaint in February last year.
Police Maj Gen Athip Pongsiwapai from the Technology Crime Suppression Division explained that five suspects handled money laundering while the others created mule accounts. Police seized assets worth 14 million baht, including land deeds, luxury watches, and designer bags, for further examination.
Atchara and the four Chinese suspects denied fraud charges but admitted to converting cryptocurrency into cash for illegal businesses. Atchara allegedly began laundering money in 2023.
She stated the group handled 6.5 billion baht in digital currency, converting and withdrawing around 2.9 billion baht. The money was used to purchase properties under Thai proxy companies.
In a related case, three Chinese nationals running a fraudulent company, Luckking Co, were arrested in Bangkok. The company promoted fake lucky draws to steal personal data from over 88,000 individuals, which was then sold to scam gangs.
Two suspects, Ye Wanyou, 29, and Li Weijie, 30, were arrested at a housing estate near Ratchadaphisek Road. They were also linked to a call scam operation in Cambodia and smuggling people out of Thailand.
The third suspect, Zhang Hongxiang, was arrested at the company’s office in Bangkok. Police are continuing their investigation into both cases.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
