Big Joke gives red card to Cameroonian defender - nabbed for scamming!

 

Picture: Spring News

 

Immigration chief Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn and a large team of investigative officers announced the arrest of a Cameroonian footballer who has played for three football clubs in Thailand. 

 

But it was just a front. In his spare time Etoundie Pie Claude, 32, was taking part in email scams ripping people off to the tune of millions of baht. 

 

Several Thai accomplices including his Thai wife Aicha Jarataku, 38, are now also in custody. Two more are being sought after warrants were issued. 

 

Also arrested was Saengdao Atliang, 26. Bankbooks, ATM cards and a car were taken into evidence.

 

Laksana Moontha, 33, and Surirat Kanket are still on the run. 

 

The police team told the press that the arrests stemmed from a latest case in which the gang posed as representing a foreign college. They contacted a parent of a child at the college via email who was conned into parting with 600,000 baht for school fees.

 

Picture: Spring News

 

The money went into the account of one of the conspirators in Chiang Mai and it was then taken out of the account by the others. 

 

An email scammer who was not named appears to be another one involved as six members of the gang were mentioned.

 

Surachate - known by his alias of "Big Joke" for his crime busting exploits - said that the Cameroonian man and the others had been involved in frauds of over 10 million baht with at least ten victims.

 

Etoundie had been in Thailand 13 years and was married to Aicha. He originally taught football coaching to children in Pathum Thani and Sakon Nakhon. 

 

Later he was contracted to play for Chiang Rai City in 2017, Sisaket United in 2018 and is currently on the books at the semi professional club of Sakon Nakhon FC. He is a defender.

 

The black man's role, he said, was in working with his wife to convince young people learning in his soccer camps to open bank accounts with ATM cards that they would subsequently use in their crimes. 

 

He said two more Thai female suspects are being sought after arrest warrants were issued in Chiang Mai. 

 

Source: Picture: Spring News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-03

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

He is a defender.

Scored a massive own goal here though. Of all the things he has been teaching kids, morality seems to have been missing from the list.

By the time he gets out of jail, I suspect his football playing days will be over also.

 

were it not for the masks and the uniforms you would not know who the bigger criminals are in the photo.

So they parade the african guy around as the big fish while it turns out that most of the scammers involved are Thai... again xenophobia at its best.

How do I unsubscribe from news about the biggest joke of all?

7 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

So they parade the african guy around as the big fish while it turns out that most of the scammers involved are Thai... again xenophobia at its best.

How do I unsubscribe from news about the biggest joke of all?

That's a rather knee-jerk response.

 

As a foreigner and a guest in this country, and the main figure in the scam, it doesn't seem unreasonable that he is the highest profile of the thieves. All of them should spend several years in a lovely Thai prison. 

17 minutes ago, atyclb said:

were it not for the masks and the uniforms you would not know who the bigger criminals are in the photo.

Bank accounts in Chiang Mai require pollution masks ....

Bank books, ATM cards and car taken as evidence? Never to be seen again.

30 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

So they parade the african guy around as the big fish while it turns out that most of the scammers involved are Thai... again xenophobia at its best.

How do I unsubscribe from news about the biggest joke of all?

On display are all three people arrested: 2 Thais and 1 African. What's the problem again?

Looks smoggy down the nick????

But alas unsurprisingly only inactive available????

Well at least they got him, probably he will only get deported, no jail time, and the thais, a few waiis and all will be back to normal living. We never hear on here what happens after they get caught and charged, never any follow up story.

39 minutes ago, ttrd said:

Bank accounts in Chiang Mai require pollution masks ....

So does breathing...

43 minutes ago, ttrd said:

Bank accounts in Chiang Mai require pollution masks ....

They are certainly in the nose. 

Get all this scumbags locked up at Bangkok Hilton and throw away the key. Seem like Africans is topping the list of scammers in Thailand.

 

The crook should be jailed for some time, deported and .. blacklisted for life. The Thais involved should get hefty jail time. But let's stop dreaming here...

9 minutes ago, bander said:

Get all this scumbags locked up at Bangkok Hilton and throw away the key. Seem like Africans is topping the list of scammers in Thailand.

 

nah. westerners still top that list but with decades of local experience they've learnt how to get away with it, for now

20 minutes ago, bander said:

Get all this scumbags locked up at Bangkok Hilton and throw away the key. Seem like Africans is topping the list of scammers in Thailand.

 

Nah - Thais are topping the list of scammers in Thailand - many of them in uniform too!

 

Followed closely by Nigerians (And yes, they are from Africa!)

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Surachate - known by his alias of "Big Joke" for his crime busting exploits - .....

The black man's role, he said, was ....

Also known for his penchant for racial profiling based on skin colour if the news reporting bares any semblance to the truth... not hopeful on that one either.

7 minutes ago, sambum said:

Nah - Thais are topping the list of scammers in Thailand - many of them in uniform too!

 

Followed closely by Nigerians (And yes, they are from Africa!)

nigerians in thailand are still foraging for peanuts in comparison to western scammers in thailand such as boiler rooms etc. i suspect the chinese also are scamming on a much larger scale then the africans

1 hour ago, Lupatria said:

So they parade the african guy around as the big fish while it turns out that most of the scammers involved are Thai... again xenophobia at its best.

How do I unsubscribe from news about the biggest joke of all?

Of course, save that face at all costs.  Thailand never surprises me anymore.  

2 minutes ago, MARK74 said:

nigerians in thailand are still foraging for peanuts in comparison to western scammers in thailand such as boiler rooms etc. i suspect the chinese also are scamming on a much larger scale then the africans

We must not forget that the majority of the Nigerian bride scammers operating through internet in Thailand are actually located outside Thailand ... 

Troll post and reply removed

31 minutes ago, MARK74 said:

nah. westerners still top that list but with decades of local experience they've learnt how to get away with it, for now

How many westerners are in Thailand compared to how many Africans (I am not talking about African-Americans)?

 

 

16 minutes ago, MARK74 said:

nigerians in thailand are still foraging for peanuts in comparison to western scammers in thailand such as boiler rooms etc. i suspect the chinese also are scamming on a much larger scale then the africans

Don't underestimate those nigerians. To avoid prosecution, they have their accomplices set up shop abroad where they collect the money from where it is forwarded to 
the gang in Nigeria. 

Far to many nationalities are involved with illegal business in Thailand in the hope to stay out of trouble and be able to bribe their way out. 

Chinese, Koreans, Americans, Europeans, Africans, Indian.....it is all the same, there is not one better than the other.

22 minutes ago, mike787 said:

Of course, save that face at all costs.  Thailand never surprises me anymore.  

The most primitive form of fraud is to defraud their own so yes - saving face is important through mainly focus and blaming the foreigner and fining their own who unfortunately have been fooled into this - this will for sure prevent other Thais to be fooled into this game again - but who cares as long as faces were saved .... 

Edited April 3, 20197 yr by ttrd

At least he's now getting the Thai side of the crime, not just the farangs involved.

Two on the run will soon be caught!

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

were it not for the masks and the uniforms you would not know who the bigger criminals are in the photo.

Anybody who drive a car or motorbike in Thailand have had an unpleasant experience with BIB and they're illegal bribe routines. Scammers on the other hand make you an offer who is to good to belive and if you are a fool to believe it's "shame on you".

 

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

At least he's now getting the Thai side of the crime, not just the farangs involved.

Two on the run will soon be caught!

.... caught, fined and no finger pointing ...

2 hours ago, garet said:

That's a rather knee-jerk response.

 

As a foreigner and a guest in this country, and the main figure in the scam, it doesn't seem unreasonable that he is the highest profile of the thieves. All of them should spend several years in a lovely Thai prison. 

Africans seems to be international scammers, pick a paper from any country and you will find a note about scam from African. Lucky me I have an African prince who want to transfer 100 million US$ to me for a small fee.

 

56 minutes ago, sambum said:

Nah - Thais are topping the list of scammers in Thailand - many of them in uniform too!

 

Followed closely by Nigerians (And yes, they are from Africa!)

Who don't know Nigerians and the Prince with 100 millions that he need your help to transfer?  I get that mail all the time.