Attorney general drops charges against actors in iCon Group case
The Office of the Attorney General has decided not to prosecute actors Pechaya “Min” Wattanamontri and Yuranunt “Sam” Pamornmontri in connection with allegations related to The iCon Group. The case involves 17 others who have been charged, with clear evidence against Kan Kanthathavorn, known as Boss Kan, indicating his involvement from the company’s inception.
The Office of Special Litigation has charged The iCon Group Co., Ltd., led by Voratphon Voratvoyarakul, along with 16 others, including Kan. However, the prosecuting officials has decided not to press charges against Yuranunt Pamornmontri and Pechaya Wattanamontri, citing insufficient evidence to prove their involvement in the alleged offences.
The spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, Sakasem Nisaiyok, stated that the reasons for not prosecuting the two actors cannot be disclosed at this stage, as the decisions are not yet final and require further review by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
The extensive investigation involved reviewing over 300,000 pages of documents and interviewing thousands of witnesses. Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence, the working group had to ensure a thorough examination, especially considering the requests for fairness from both sides involved in the case. The suspects’ detention period is due to end, prompting urgency in concluding the proceedings.
In practice, when the attorney general decides not to prosecute, a petition must be submitted to the court for the release of the suspects. This procedure applies regardless of whether the detention period has expired.
The final decision on the non-prosecution order will undergo further consideration by the DSI director-general. If the DSI challenges the attorney general’s decision, the matter will be resolved according to legal procedures, as explained by senior attorney Chanchai Chalanonnivat.
iCon Group
Concerns have been raised about the fairness of the process, with accusations that not all relevant witnesses were interviewed. However, Chanchai clarified that if several witnesses provide consistent testimony, further interviews may not be necessary unless there are discrepancies.
The news report highlights that the decision not to prosecute Min and Sam stems from the lack of evidence suggesting their involvement in illegal pyramid schemes. Both had signed contracts as brand ambassadors with The iCon Group in 2023, while the company was officially registered in 2021.
There is no indication or evidence of their participation in illegal activities as defined under Article 83 of the Penal Code, reported KhaoSod.
Conversely, evidence strongly implicates Kan, showing his awareness of the group’s activities from its founding. Min and Sam are expected to be released following the end of their detention period, while others, including Kanchat, face prosecution.
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