Group of six Nigerian and Thai nationals arrested for allegedly operating online romance scams and laundering money, with more than 200 million baht of annual income

[webfact]

 

By Nop Meechukhun

 

Bangkok – The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) today, May 25th, announced the major arrest of six suspects of Nigerian and Thai nationals for allegedly operating online romance scams and laundering money, generating an annual income of more than 200 million baht.

 

CSD commander Suwat Sangnum told reporters that the raid took place after the police received complaints from several victims last year that they had allegedly lost nearly 1 million baht to a romance scam, reportedly by a group of Thai and foreign nationals.

 

The initial investigation revealed that the group would open an Instagram account using the fake name “Mr. Lanny Gray” to contact victims before starting a romantic relationship. Gray claimed himself as a retired American businessman who was working in Malaysia. When both became closer, he would ask for victims’ LINE account to make them look reliable and continue building an intimate relationship via the application.

 

Gray reportedly constantly sent affectionate messages, saying that he hoped to travel and to live together with the victims in Thailand. 

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2021/05/25/group-of-six-nigerian-and-thai-nationals-arrested-for-allegedly-operating-online-romance-scams-and-laundering-money-with-more-than-200-million-baht-of-annual-income/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2021-05-26

 

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[RichardColeman]

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers.

 

Give them all 10 years and deportation on release.

 

 

[sammieuk1]

Surprised he didn't use his title of Earl Lanny Grey possibly because he couldn't spell it ????

[nausea]

39 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians

I wouldn't tar all Nigerians with the same brush, it seems to be a certain ethnicity most heavily involved in the scams; I remember reading a discussion thread on a Nigerian scam, and it was the Nigerians themselves who were most scathing of this particular ethnicity for bringing all Nigerians into disrepute. 

[RichardColeman]

4 minutes ago, nausea said:

I wouldn't tar all Nigerians with the same brush, it seems to be a certain ethnicity most heavily involved in the scams

I do not believe it has anything to do with ethnicity - Nigeria is usually number 1 in lists of world top 10 scammers. I would not tar all blacks or all asians or whites for this type of crime.  Even on TV the top 10 nationalities found scamming - after Thais - would be Nigerians probably.

 

Time to make visas from that country almost impossible unless sponsored by vast companies or money held in lieu. 

 

 

[Taboo2]

But my Babe was different,,,,she loves me......5555

[ezzra]

Nigerians have been causing serious problems in this country as long as i remember, the only country mind you, a new way to approach and mange every Nigerian who enters the kingdom is needed, how many are they can they be, make them report to the immigration or police every week to tell where the are and what they they do will be a good start, and any one who doesn't revoke his visa and when they get caught and found guilty in a crime , a lengthy stiff prison sentences should be apply...

[irishman25]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers.

 

Give them all 10 years and deportation on release.

 

 

last year i got one of there e-mail that i have  $5.million waiting for me all they need  to pay tax's was my Bank info. I PRESSED THE SCAM button on my laptop. but they keep trying all over the world they have a group in every country in EURO

[irishman25]

57 minutes ago, nausea said:

I wouldn't tar all Nigerians with the same brush, it seems to be a certain ethnicity most heavily involved in the scams; I remember reading a discussion thread on a Nigerian scam, and it was the Nigerians themselves who were most scathing of this particular ethnicity for bringing all Nigerians into disrepute. 

you should check all your family and friends and some have been scam. It is wrong stealing from old and poor people, and it all comes from that country ASK the FBI 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Come on, Lanny's just a truck driver...

[DrJack54]

This thread won't last long.

[Excel]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers.

 

Give them all 10 years and deportation on release.

 

 

Give them jobs in the government more like.

[Excel]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers.

 

Give them all 10 years and deportation on release.

 

 

If you read the report you will see that there was one Nigerian, the rest were Thais

[Ventenio]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

generating an annual income of more than 200 million baht.

 

Seven people.  let's make it easy and say 3 million each a year...

 

a cool quarter of a million a month.....250,000 

 

Filipino teacher makes about 18,000 a month.   

 

i would rather read about romance scams than drugs.....

 

let me send out 10 texts today.......'love you, miss you.....'    'send me money...'

 

ok, got another 400,000.   

 

military in Burma taking everyone's jade.......   making millions a day, easy

 

while I search for 2-hours to find enough coins for my 20-baht noodle soup

 

 

[clivebaxter]

23 minutes ago, Excel said:

If you read the report you will see that there was one Nigerian, the rest were Thais

If you had to put money on whose idea it was and who set it up would it be on the one Nigerian or the Thais?

[Excel]

Just now, clivebaxter said:

If you had to put money on whose idea it was and who set it up would it be on the one Nigerian or the Thais?

Not the issue. The issue was there were 5 corrupt Thais and only one corrupt Nigerian. 

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, nausea said:

I wouldn't tar all Nigerians with the same brush, it seems to be a certain ethnicity most heavily involved in the scams; I remember reading a discussion thread on a Nigerian scam, and it was the Nigerians themselves who were most scathing of this particular ethnicity for bringing all Nigerians into disrepute. 

Surely it is the same for Thailand?  My UK bank will not communicate with my Thai phone because of, they say, the number of scams/problems with security.

[nightfox]

Not the brightest bunnies in the forest are these Nigerian romance scammers committing their crime in the country that their currently at. Perhaps he didn't trust those Thai money mules to send him his share far away.........I wouldn't either.

[GeorgeEboy]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I do not believe it has anything to do with ethnicity - Nigeria is usually number 1 in lists of world top 10 scammers. I would not tar all blacks or all asians or whites for this type of crime.  Even on TV the top 10 nationalities found scamming - after Thais - would be Nigerians probably.

 

Time to make visas from that country almost impossible unless sponsored by vast companies or money held in lieu. 

 

 

You’re right any time an African is accused or called out on something in the scamming category it the same old “not all of them are criminals.” No, no one said they all are just a large percentage of that particular nationality in a particular country are. Africa has a large scamming community some countries have more than others. Like Somalia Pirates. Are all Somalis Pirates No, but the country has a great deal of them.

[brianthainess]

????I knew a Thai her name was Jane,

She only got scammed, now and again,

And again, and again, and again, and again.

And again, and again, and agaaaain.????

[bendejo]

Lao ran them out around 10 years ago. 

 

 

[Misterwhisper]

And here is the true reason why these Nigerian scammers (and their Thai accomplices) find such bountiful hunting grounds here:

 

"Gray would continue to talk to the victim constantly until gaining trust from the victim before claiming that he wanted to send many valuable items to the victims but they needed to pay for various fees throughout the delivery."

 

It's the sheer greed of those "victims". It's got nothing to do with love. I suppose that a good lot of these "victims" themselves would not spare a second thought of eventually stripping "Mr. Lanny Gray" of his last shirt if they got the chance -- and if only he were real.

 

If you're starting out a "love relationship" by willingly paying a person you've never met face-to-face god knows how much for "various fees" in order to take possession of "many valuable items" you've already shown your true face.

 

Equating "love" with "valuable gifts" is a deplorable basis for forging a romantic relationship.

 

I, for one, have absolutely no sympathy nor empathy for these "victims". 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers.

 

Give them all 10 years and deportation on release.

 

 

Are their enough people in Thailand gullible enough to lose 200 million baht in a romance scam.?

I know it happens but that amount seems too far fetched.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

If you had to put money on whose idea it was and who set it up would it be on the one Nigerian or the Thais?

I'd have an each-way bet.

[sanuk711]

6 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Are there seriously any honest Nigerians in this country ? Thailand really does not need these people in the country - there are no positive Nigerian stories ever posted on TV - just one every couple weeks about more Nigerian scammers

I don't know so much RichardC...look at the Nigerian Prince , I don't even remember meeting him , yet he has left me $us20 Million in his will.

 

So they cant all be bad......................

[sanuk711]

This site--(there are a lot more of them) gives you the picture of the person you are getting all hot about----and the real person... only covers a few of course and mainly Asians

https://scamsurvivors.com/piwigo/

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Misterwhisper said:

Equating "love" with "valuable gifts" is a deplorable basis for forging a romantic relationship.

There's only one 'valuable gift' I want, and it normally costs around 1,500bht.

As for 'romance', forget it, it's a Hollywood fantasy.

Edited May 26, 2021 by BritManToo

[Denim]

6 hours ago, nausea said:

I wouldn't tar all Nigerians with the same brush,

 

Presumably because you wouldn't notice even if you did.

[Enzian]

Every country in the world should teach social skills combined with financial skills in high school. Social science and basic finance, valid subjects of learning. Do any? But we all learn them them outside in the real world. (Though I did take a lot of classes in macroeconomics in university.)

[Raymonddiaz]

4 hours ago, Excel said:

If you read the report you will see that there was one Nigerian, the rest were Thais

The title should be : 5 Thais and 1 Nigerian arrested for online romance scam.... but maybe that title will not attract as many as the other one.