Thai fraudster nabbed for cloud storage scam targeting 3,000 victims
A 69 year old Thai woman, known as Pattana, was arrested at a religious facility in Nakhon Ratchasima province for her alleged involvement in a Ponzi scheme at a company that deceived over 3,000 victims, causing nearly 1.3 billion baht in damages. Pattana’s son reportedly used her name in a fraudulent company that offered high returns from cloud storage investments.
Authorities from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) apprehended Pattana on today, following an arrest warrant from the Lamphun Provincial Court. The charges related to fraudulent public borrowing and the use of false computer data to defraud the public. Victims who had fallen prey to the scheme filed a complaint against the company, leading the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to initiate an inquiry. Over 2,800 victims have already provided statements, totalling 1,303,127,202.99 million baht in losses, while 653 have not yet testified.
The DSI had already captured another individual involved named Suphasorn, a board member of the company. They have also been cooperating with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to seize the suspects’ assets to compensate the deceived investors. Along with Pattana, there are still fugitives connected to the case evading capture.
After her arrest, Pattana denied the allegations, claiming she was unaware of the company’s activities and that her son had used her name to become a board member without her knowledge. Previously, Pattana had been a secondary school teacher in Ang Thong province. She requested further investigation and due process during court proceedings.
At the time of Pattana’s apprehension, she was a lay devotee, participating in religious activities at the facility where her ex-husband was an ordained monk. Authorities believe this may have been a tactic to avoid arrest in connection with the case. Pattana has now been handed over to the Mae Tha District Police Station for further legal proceedings.
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