The Criminal Court has acquitted The iCon Group founder and chief executive Warathaphon "Boss Paul" Waratyaworrakul, politician Samart Janechaijittawanich and Samart's mother of colluding to launder 2.5 million baht from the direct-sales company.
The ruling, delivered on Friday 25 September 2026, found that prosecutors had not produced enough evidence to show the money came from criminal activity or that the defendants knew it was the proceeds of crime.
The case was brought by prosecutors from Special Litigation Division 1 against four defendants: Samart, his mother Wilawan Phutthasamrit, Warathaphon and The iCon Group Co.
Samart is a former chairman of the Federation Against Pyramid Schemes of Thailand and a former deputy spokesman for the Palang Pracharath Party.
Court finds no evidence of concealment
The court said prosecutors had established financial connections between the first three defendants and Samart's partner. However, the transfers were made through the defendants' own bank accounts.
There was no evidence that money had been hidden, or that the defendants had helped anyone conceal its origin, the court ruled.
Samart and Wilawan were arrested in November 2024 and later granted bail. Warathaphon was arrested in October 2024 and has been held at Bangkok Remand Prison.
Samart and his mother attended court on Friday morning, while Department of Corrections officers brought Warathaphon from prison for the hearing.
Although the ruling ends this specific laundering case, it does not resolve the main case involving The iCon Group. Suphatporn Toraksa, Warathaphon's lawyer, said the examination of witnesses in that case was expected to finish by the end of 2027.
DSI inquiry followed audio-clip controversy
In 2025, the Department of Special Investigation filed further allegations of conspiring to launder money against Warathaphon, Samart and Wilawan.
Samart became linked to the wider scandal after an audio clip emerged of a conversation between Warathaphon and a non-MP member of a House committee. That person allegedly offered to help settle a complaint in exchange for money.
Investigators said transfers and receipts connected to alleged fraud and loans pointed to a financial trail between Warathaphon and Samart. The transactions were said to have used accounts held by Wilawan and another person.
Samart thanked the judges after Friday's ruling. He again denied that his voice appeared in the audio clip involving a politician referred to as "Sor Sua".
He said he had remained silent since the recording was leaked and he was accused of being "Sor Sua", as well as of extortion and money laundering. The verdict, he said, showed there was no basis for those allegations.
Samart questions arrest-warrant evidence
Samart said his reputation had been harmed for nearly two years. He questioned the evidence cited by the DSI when it sought his arrest warrant, saying investigators had referred to both the audio recording and financial transactions.
However, he said evidence relating to the financial transactions was obtained only after the warrant had been issued.
Samart said he was arrested on Nov 26, 2024, remained in custody for almost two years and was granted bail in April 2026. He said he would consider whether DSI officials acted lawfully and take legal action if he found evidence of discriminatory treatment.
Warathaphon remains in custody
Picture courtesy of ThaiRath
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27 September 2026
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