The embezzlement and money laundering case involving former Luang Por Choti, the former abbot of a famous temple in Ayutthaya province, led to his arrest in his monk's cell during breakfast. A video surfaced showing him having an affair with a close female devotee, revealing a pattern of creating amulets and diverting the sale proceeds into personal accounts. Recently, police raided the devotee's home and found evidence for further investigation, with estimated damages exceeding 100 million baht. Police also collected crucial evidence including an "orange round table."
The timeline and details of the case of former "Luang Por Choti" embezzling funds from a prominent temple in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province began with his arrest this morning, 10 Sep 2026, at the breakfast table inside the temple's monk cell. The former abbot, Atichoti, aged 66, has since renounced monkhood.
He faces charges of being a public official who embezzled property, misconduct or neglect of duty, and conspiracy to launder money.
The close female devotee, known as "Sika Ae," aged 47, is considered his confidante who received transferred assets and supported the embezzlement.
The origin and cause of the offense stem from a scandalous video showing him having an affair with the close devotee inside the monk's cell. Seized evidence includes items such as the orange round table.
The embezzlement involved diverting funds from the sale of sacred amulets into his personal accounts instead of the temple's.
He issued false donation receipts in the temple's name improperly, totaling more than 20 documents over a two-year period.
Money laundering occurred by transferring temple money and assets to the close devotee, Sika Ae, to disguise their origin.
At her residence in Pathum Thani province, officers seized 35 gold amulet pieces, gold bars and ornaments totaling 90 baht weight valued at 6,037,470 baht, cash amounting to 3,592,300 baht, two land title deeds, one land sale contract, and ten land and account documents.
They also found seven bank passbooks, four Government Savings Bank bonds, eighteen investment documents, and one health insurance policy.
Additionally, six gold insurance certificates and seven gold purchase-sale receipts were seized.
The total estimated damage and seized assets amount to approximately 92 to 100 million baht.
The next step involves ongoing investigations to gather evidence for expanding charges against other accomplices involved in the scheme.
