Cyber police arrested three suspects serving as nominee directors of legal entities involved in a call center gang network that deceived victims into investment scams. The case is linked to 46 online complaint IDs nationwide, with total damages nearing 60 million baht.
On 11 Oct 2016 GMT+7, Pol. Lt. Gen. Thinkorn Rangmat, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Division (CCID), along with Pol. Maj. Gen. Arut Saengchan, Deputy Commander of CCID, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Songklod Krekkritaya, Commander of CCID Division 3, ordered Pol. Col. Adichart Amornpradit, Chief of Intelligence and Special Tools Unit of CCID Division 3, to lead investigators to arrest three suspects serving as nominee directors for companies used by a call center gang network to defraud victims into investments, under warrants from Khon Kaen Provincial Court. The suspects are Ms. Panyata Tuksuk, 38, from Chonburi; Ms. Lada Ruaysiridecha, 28, from Nonthaburi; and Ms. Pimchanok Mahamongkolsap, 47, from Nonthaburi.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thinkorn Rangmat said the arrest followed a complaint from a 62-year-old male private businessman who found a Facebook page named “Short-term Investment” advertising that one could earn high returns from short-term investments, promising comfortable living. The victim became interested and contacted the page for more information.
The page then instructed the victim to add a Line contact who claimed to be a digital currency investor trading through the “lgt private banking” platform. The victim was sent a link to install an application and follow the instructions. After transferring investment money into the system, which ended up in a legal entity’s bank account, the system showed profits, convincing the victim that the investment was genuine.
The victim continued to transfer more money several times, but eventually the account was suspended. Upon contacting the bank, the victim learned that the bank had frozen the account because it had been reported and seized for being used in scams to defraud others. Realizing he had been scammed, the victim filed a complaint with cyber police. The total loss amounted to 600,000 baht.
Subsequent investigations by the Intelligence and Special Tools Unit of CCID Division 3 revealed that the victim’s money was transferred to nominee accounts opened under legal entities linked to three companies. Ms. Panyata served as a company director, Ms. Lada as another company director, and Ms. Pimchanok as a limited partnership director.
Evidence was gathered to obtain arrest warrants from Khon Kaen Provincial Court for all three suspects. It was also found that the three had a combined total of 12 outstanding warrants and were involved in 46 similar fraud cases nationwide, with damages approaching 60 million baht. Investigators arrested Ms. Panyata in Chonburi, and Ms. Lada and Ms. Pimchanok in Nonthaburi. All three initially confessed to the charges.
They are being prosecuted for conspiracy to defraud the public by impersonation and inputting false data into computer systems that could cause harm to others or the public. They are currently in custody pending further legal proceedings.