'Jet-Setting Monk' Convicted, Gets 114 Years

[eggers]

Well, at least got one crim back  to face jail..... pity can't get the Puppeteer or Puppet back to face jail terms!! 

[Sumarianson]

You can do this with impunity in the US and other countries.

Edited August 9, 2018 by Sumarianson

[1337markus]

I bet he isnt happy about being " immortal" he will get to enjoy the pain of 114 years ?

[Pedrogaz]

What is wrong with these totally stupid sentences? He isn't going to live 114 years, let alone serve 114 years in jail. Just give him life imprisonment where life means life.

In the US Bernie Madoff who is about 80 got a 156 year sentence same stupidity that reduces trust in the justice system.

[kannot]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He will, however, serve no more than 20 years

so whats the bleedin point in giving 114 years I mean c'mon why not make 10  billion years

[sanemax]

6 minutes ago, kannot said:

so whats the bleedin point in giving 114 years I mean c'mon why not make 10  billion years

The Judge was given a list of all the crimes that he committed and the Judge gave him a sentence for each crime committed and that was all added up to a total of 114 years

[HHTel]

4 hours ago, happy chappie said:

So they do extradite to a country being governed by the unelected military.

The events happened prior to the coup.

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

20 years actually, as that is the maximum allowed by law.   Then the question is "why sentence him to 114 years , if the maximum he can serve is only 20'?  Looks good though, doesn't it?

Quite common in the States to get 99 years and more.

[terminatorchiangmai]

5 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

So how many months  will he actually have to serve?

9 months in a temple as a monk will do.

[DavCurtis]

1 hour ago, mogandave said:

THB28M does not last long on a private jet...

Fact

[DavCurtis]

I doubt he's going to do that time. 

[trainman34014]

And while he is in jail his 'followers' will visit him and give him money and other gifts because that's how few brain cells they have !

[moontang]

that is one prisoner, who wont he told to drop his pants.

[gp2002]

Unfortunately he managed to sneak off to the UK in the middle of the night and they are unable to get him back in the country. 

[mogandave]

Multiple convictions each carrying sentences are great in the event a single sentence is overturned.

The convicted is still in prison for life, even if 20 years is knocked off.

[mercman24]

114 ?? typing error,, insert months, oops another typo make that 114  DAYS

Edited August 9, 2018 by mercman24

[janclaes47]

2 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

20 years actually, as that is the maximum allowed by law.   Then the question is "why sentence him to 114 years , if the maximum he can serve is only 20'?  Looks good though, doesn't it?

I don't believe what that reporter wrote

 

It is even so that a life sentence means actually life in jail without a chance on reduction or parole.

 

https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/types-of-criminal-punishments-in-thailand/

 

If 20 years is the maximum it will be for 1 sentence, and he got 42 sentences, so when 1 is finished the next one will start.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2018 by janclaes47

[Psimbo]

5 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Tip of the iceberg.

Bring on the Red Bull heir, and what about the black leopard Hi-so.? All swept under the table.

15 posts before he got a mention- disgraceful! Standards chaps, standards.

[snoop1130]

Thailand's 'jet-set' monk sentenced to 114 years in prison

 

Wirapol Sukphol, former Thai Buddhist monk who provoked outrage with his lavish lifestyle arrives at the Criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, August 9, 2018. Dailynews/ via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A former Thai Buddhist monk who provoked outrage with his lavish lifestyle was sentenced on Thursday to 114 years in prison after a court found him guilty of fraud, money laundering and computer crimes.

 

Wirapol Sukphol, who was seen in a YouTube video in 2013 holding wads of cash on a private jet, returned to Thailand in July 2017 after being extradited from the United States where he had fled.

 

Wirapol, formerly known by his monastic name Luang Pu Nenkham, was expelled from the monkhood in 2013 after the video surfaced. He was accused of having sexual intercourse - a grave offence for monks - with an underage girl, among other charges.

 

He later fled to the United States.

 

A criminal court in Bangkok sentenced Wirapol to 114 years in prison though he will only serve 20 years because Thai law stipulates that is the maximum for someone found guilty of multiple counts of the same offence.

 

"He committed fraud by claiming to have special power to lure in people and he also bought many luxury cars which is considered a money-laundering offence," an official at the Department of Special Litigation told Reuters.

 

The official declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

 

"The court found him guilty of multiple offences which resulted in a 114-year jail term when combined, which means he will actually serve 20 years in jail," he said.

 

Neither Wirapol nor his lawyer were available for comment.

 

Wirapol faces separate charges of child molestation and child abduction. A verdict in that case is expected in October.

 

Wirapol's high-profile case highlighted a series of sex and money scandals that have rocked Thailand's Buddhist clergy in recent years, resulting in calls for reforms of religious institutions.

 

The military government that came to power after a 2014 coup has stepped up efforts to clean up Buddhism by arresting monks involved in corruption scandals and through the introduction of a bill that reduces the influence of Buddhism's Sangha Supreme Council - the governing body of Buddhist monks.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-8-9

[Mr E]

16 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's 'jet-set' monk sentenced to 114 years in prison

 

Wirapol Sukphol, former Thai Buddhist monk who provoked outrage with his lavish lifestyle arrives at the Criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, August 9, 2018. Dailynews/ via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A former Thai Buddhist monk who provoked outrage with his lavish lifestyle was sentenced on Thursday to 114 years in prison after a court found him guilty of fraud, money laundering and computer crimes.

 

Wirapol Sukphol, who was seen in a YouTube video in 2013 holding wads of cash on a private jet, returned to Thailand in July 2017 after being extradited from the United States where he had fled.

 

Wirapol, formerly known by his monastic name Luang Pu Nenkham, was expelled from the monkhood in 2013 after the video surfaced. He was accused of having sexual intercourse - a grave offence for monks - with an underage girl, among other charges.

 

He later fled to the United States.

 

A criminal court in Bangkok sentenced Wirapol to 114 years in prison though he will only serve 20 years because Thai law stipulates that is the maximum for someone found guilty of multiple counts of the same offence.

 

"He committed fraud by claiming to have special power to lure in people and he also bought many luxury cars which is considered a money-laundering offence," an official at the Department of Special Litigation told Reuters.

 

The official declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

 

"The court found him guilty of multiple offences which resulted in a 114-year jail term when combined, which means he will actually serve 20 years in jail," he said.

 

Neither Wirapol nor his lawyer were available for comment.

 

Wirapol faces separate charges of child molestation and child abduction. A verdict in that case is expected in October.

 

Wirapol's high-profile case highlighted a series of sex and money scandals that have rocked Thailand's Buddhist clergy in recent years, resulting in calls for reforms of religious institutions.

 

The military government that came to power after a 2014 coup has stepped up efforts to clean up Buddhism by arresting monks involved in corruption scandals and through the introduction of a bill that reduces the influence of Buddhism's Sangha Supreme Council - the governing body of Buddhist monks.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-8-9

The Sangha Supreme Council (misnomer if ever there was one) are petty criminals compared to the vatican and its corrupt paedophile worldwide brainwashing network.

[khaowong1]

Let's see, he owes 28 million baht but was caught with 43 million baht, so he's due to receive 15 million baht back when he retires from prison in 20 years.  Will they invest that 15 mil for him so he has a nice nest egg at 59 years old?  Laying around in prison can't be much worse than laying around in the temple.  Nice job if you can get it.  (sarcasm)  ?

Edited August 9, 2018 by khaowong1

[Neeranam]

11 hours ago, colinneil said:

Thats 1 down, many more to go.

What about Damachayo? very quiet about him, he must be laughing his socks off, where ever he is.

Why do some members shout for justice for certain criminals, then when justice is served they move into someone else?

For God's sake man, try saying something positive. This is a very positive conviction.

You know Damachayo will never go to jail because of who he is; why can't you accept that? I guess you don't actually know who he is.

 

[Neeranam]

11 hours ago, colinneil said:

Thats 1 down, many more to go.

What about Damachayo? very quiet about him, he must be laughing his socks off, where ever he is.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2018 by Neeranam
Why bother?

[janclaes47]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

You know Damachayo will never go to jail because of who he is; why can't you accept that? I guess you don't actually know who he is.

I'm all ears.

 

To me he is a criminal, and there is plenty of evidence of that in the past 20 years.

[bust]

Curious to see how he will pay back Bt28,649,553. from a prison cell ?????

[Jimdandy]

What goes around, comes around.

[rodney earl]

He is probably not much different to many others.!!!

[Kerryd]

10 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

Let's see, he owes 28 million baht but was caught with 43 million baht, so he's due to receive 15 million baht back when he retires from prison in 20 years.  Will they invest that 15 mil for him so he has a nice nest egg at 59 years old?  Laying around in prison can't be much worse than laying around in the temple.  Nice job if you can get it.  (sarcasm)  ?

Not quite.

They say he had 43 mil baht in assets (cash, property, cars, etc). That was all acquired with money scammed from thousands of donors big and small.

A part of that 43 mil total would be the 28 mil baht he scammed out of the 29 donors who sued him. The other 15 million came from the thousands of smaller donors who gave him money over the years.
The government will no doubt seize all his assets and sell them. The 29 people that sued the monk will probably get a portion of the proceeds. The rest will likely end up in the government purse (unless more people join the lawsuit). 

The monk most likely won't do the full 20 years either. Between the regular and special Royal Pardons that could be handed out and a potential early release "for good behaviour", he will be probably be out in 10 or fewer.
(I'm just guessing at that though, based on what I've seen/heard over the years. As he wasn't involved in drugs, murder or other violent crimes, he would probably be eligible for almost every sentence reduction that usually comes with those Royal Pardons, which can shave years off a sentence. The government can also commute the sentences of "low risk, non violent" criminals as a way of reducing the prison populations. I think they did that not too long ago actually. They let a lot of people who had under a year remaining (?) on their sentences out early, but only if they were first time offenders and hadn't been convicted of crimes involving drugs or violence. I remember talking to the g/f about it as she has a friend in the Women's Prison (for drug offenders) in Pathum Thani that wasn't eligible because she had a drug conviction of some kind.)

Any ways. Once he's out (if he survives) he'll probably disappear as I doubt he'll be able to become a monk again, or go into politics. Unless he was smart enough to stash a lot of cash outside of the country before he was caught.

[Emster23]

5 hours ago, bust said:

Curious to see how he will pay back Bt28,649,553. from a prison cell ?????

Mail order amulets? Will they let him get online?

[bristolgeoff]

jet setting monk i also wonder where the money is,they jail him but not a few others we all know that are free