Immigration police round up foreign fugitives

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: Immigration Police have rounded up four foreign fugitives – three Americans wanted for fraud and theft, and a Finn sought for child sexual abuse – as well as a clutch of Somalis.

Immigration Bureau Commissioner Sakda Chuenpakdee told a press conference yesterday that fraud suspect Joseph Simon Arsenault, 56, was arrested in Watthana district on March 9.

Mr Arsenault, who fled to Thailand last April, was among 16 people charged with running a telemarketing scheme that reportedly embezzled over US$20 million (about 700mn baht) from 290 victims in 46 states and Canada.

Antonius “Antony” W Ceulen, 60, wanted for allegedly cheating others of $400,000 (about 13mn baht) from November 1996 to June 1997, was arrested on March 8 at a Bangkok condominium where he lived with his Thai wife.

Mr Ceulen, an executive of Lippmann Co, and accomplices allegedly sold promissory notes to at least 12 investors in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the US with the promise of high returns after the firm secured a big loan, but no one got his money back, Lt Gen Sakda said.

In the third case, war veteran Kenneth Roger Goins, 29, wanted for theft in North Carolina, was charged with overstaying his visa since January.

Finnish national Tuukka Tapani Karppinen, 31, wanted for molestation of a minor under 16, was also caught after arriving in Thailand on January 16.

The 22 Somalis were staying at an apartment in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 24. After prosecution for illegal entry, they would be deported, he said.

— Phuket Gazette Editors