Swede who ran multi-million baht Crypto scam from Koh Chang jailed for 15 years

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Image: Manager

 

A Swede who was arrested in Thailand over his involvement in a multi-million dollar investment scam has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.

 

Roger Nils-Jonas Karlsson, 47, was arrested in 2019 at an address on Koh Chang, where he lived with his Thai wife for eight years.

 

Thai police were acting on information from the authorities in the United States via Interpol, who say Karlsson defrauded more than 3,500 victims.

 

Initially Karlsson told officers he set up a legitimate cryptocurrency investment website but was forced to close the site when his business started to experience huge losses.

 

Following his extradition to the United States, Karlsson then pleaded guilty to money laundering and securities fraud at a hearing in March.

 

On Thursday (July 8), he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering charges that defrauded thousands of victims of more than $16 million.

 

According to documents released by the Department of Justice, Karlsson induced victims to purchase shares in the scheme called “Eastern Metal Securities” using cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and other online payment platforms. 

 

Karlsson promised victims astronomical returns tied to the price of gold. Instead, the funds provided by victims were transferred to Karlsson’s personal bank accounts, and he then used proceeds to purchase expensive homes, a racehorse and a resort in Thailand. 

 

Karlsson’s fraud targeted financially insecure investors, causing severe financial hardship for many of them, the the Department of Justice said. 

 

As part of the sentence, Karlsson was also ordered to forfeit a Thai resort and various other properties and accounts, and issued a money judgment in the amount of $16,263,820. 

 

ASEAN NOW understands Karlsson owned a resort on Koh Chang and multiple properties in Pattaya.

 

Victims of Roger Karlsson and Eastern Metal Securities who have not been in contact with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California are encouraged to submit information as soon as possible. More information on the case can be found here. 

 

-- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-09

 

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[Surelynot]

A piece of good news for a change.....

[Johnny Mac]

Surprised he only got a 15 stretch. These types of crimes, wire fraud etc usually carry much stiffer sentences in the US I believe.

[choff56]

What about the Thai wife?

"The Road Goes On Forever", and the party never ends. Robert Earl Keen

[irwinfc]

good! sadly, he isn't the only or last scammer on earth.

[EdrigoSalvadore]

In 15 years when he get out, he will enjoy being a trillionaire thanks to his crypto.

[nahkit]

Anyone know what happened in the case a while back where a foreigner (from Finland was it?) had been swindled out of millions of Bitcoin by a Thai actor?

[riclag]

Perhaps the Levinson's of Bernie Madoff fame , will make a book  of this  and a movie will come out !

 I wonder what happen to Swede's   family ?

 

[chalawaan]

Why do criminals still come here? 

 

The BiB may be in a coma for most of their shift at the borders, but when interpol give them a job, boy do they go at it like Soi dogs in heat!

 

Absolutely the worst place to have your case heard or sentence served if you are a badboy.

 

Most countries give less time than that for murder.

 

Having asked the rhetorical, he got exactly what he deserved.

 

Criminals who take regular folks life savings are the scummiest of the scum that float among us.

 

 

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, EdrigoSalvadore said:

In 15 years when he get out, he will enjoy being a trillionaire thanks to his crypto.

Dont think so: As part of the sentence, Karlsson was also ordered to forfeit a Thai resort and various other properties and accounts, and issued a money judgment in the amount of $16,263,820. 

 

He will probably come out broke.

[EdrigoSalvadore]

2 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Dont think so: As part of the sentence, Karlsson was also ordered to forfeit a Thai resort and various other properties and accounts, and issued a money judgment in the amount of $16,263,820. 

 

He will probably come out broke.

That´s not how crypto currencies work. None can take it away from him, if he stored it properly. They will need his passphrases and seed mnemonics.

 

Unless he underwent torture, he probably still has it.

[Caldera]

I note they didn't bother pixelating his face this time around.

[GreasyFingers]

Sorry to the believers, but isn't "crypto scam" an oxymoron.

[rwill]

2 hours ago, EdrigoSalvadore said:

That´s not how crypto currencies work. None can take it away from him, if he stored it properly. They will need his passphrases and seed mnemonics.

 

Unless he underwent torture, he probably still has it.

Somehow the US was able to reclaim about 2.3 million worth of bitcoin paid for a ransomware scheme.  I guess the bad guys left the tokens in an exchange wallet where you don't control the private keys.

[Freddy42OZ]

3 hours ago, chalawaan said:

Absolutely the worst place to have your case heard or sentence served if you are a badboy.

 

Most countries give less time than that for murder.

He was tried and sentenced in the US. 

The BIB simply went to his known location and arrested him on the basis of the Interpol alert.

[chalawaan]

Just now, Freddy42OZ said:

He was tried and sentenced in the US. 

The BIB simply went to his known location and arrested him on the basis of the Interpol alert.

oops I should have read the article, but then again, they're mostly so badly written i don't want to get any more frustrated.

 

[chalawaan]

3 hours ago, EdrigoSalvadore said:

That´s not how crypto currencies work. None can take it away from him, if he stored it properly. They will need his passphrases and seed mnemonics.

 

Unless he underwent torture, he probably still has it.

They (or anyone else who gets a hold of him in 15 years) can use scopolamine aka Devils Breath.

He won't have a mark on him, and won't even remember he logged in for them, or gave out all the info like a songbird.

[Taboo2]

And-15 years in Federal Prison is no Joke....trust me!

[rudi49jr]

11 hours ago, Surelynot said:

A piece of good news for a change.....

Indeed. But how many dunces are still out there who believe in these get-rich-quick schemes? Never ceases to amaze me.

[gargamon]

So what was his handle on ThaiVisa(AseanNow)??

[mikebell]

17 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

Dont think so: As part of the sentence, Karlsson was also ordered to forfeit a Thai resort and various other properties and accounts, and issued a money judgment in the amount of $16,263,820. 

 

He will probably come out broke.

Who gets the multiple properties in Pattaya?

[Rookiescot]

16 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Who gets the multiple properties in Pattaya?

NCC.

He needs them for his hareem. 

[Neeranam]

20 hours ago, chalawaan said:

Why do criminals still come here? 

 

The BiB may be in a coma for most of their shift at the borders, but when interpol give them a job, boy do they go at it like Soi dogs in heat!

 

Absolutely the worst place to have your case heard or sentence served if you are a badboy.

 

Most countries give less time than that for murder.

 

Having asked the rhetorical, he got exactly what he deserved.

 

Criminals who take regular folks life savings are the scummiest of the scum that float among us.

 

 

Hi case was heard in the US. 

[Neeranam]

11 hours ago, gargamon said:

So what was his handle on ThaiVisa(AseanNow)??

Has he been banned? I believe US jails have computers. 

[Surelynot]

16 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

The BIB simply went to his known location and arrested him on the basis of the Interpol alert.

So it is possible for Interpol to apprehend people.......amazing!!!!!!

[Neeranam]

17 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Sorry to the believers, but isn't "crypto scam" an oxymoron.

Please explain. I've been buying crypto for years and never been scammed. I have been scammed out of baht, however. Is Baht a scam? 

[Pattaya Spotter]

Didn't he know the "digital nomad" visa hasn't been approved yet ????

[MyFriend You]

22 hours ago, Johnny Mac said:

Surprised he only got a 15 stretch. These types of crimes, wire fraud etc usually carry much stiffer sentences in the US I believe.

It's a Federal charge, mandatory minimum is 15 years, with good time, he could be out in 10+ years, restitution will be paid from assets he had to forfeit.................good luck with them finding all his bitcoin, unless he voluntarily gave up his wallet.  Which is more likely why he got such a low sentence.

[tonray]

20 hours ago, chalawaan said:

Absolutely the worst place to have your case heard or sentence served if you are a badboy.

My Chinese (Hong Kong) neighbor explained to me that the call center and financial scammers come to Thailand from PRC because  if  they are caught here usually the sentences are short or a simple deporatation. If caught doing the same in China.....good chance of execution...after a 25 minute trial.

[Neeranam]

5 minutes ago, tonray said:

My Chinese (Hong Kong) neighbor explained to me that the call center and financial scammers come to Thailand from PRC because  if  they are caught here usually the sentences are short or a simple deporatation. If caught doing the same in China.....good chance of execution...after a 25 minute trial.

The ones I know came for the cheap soapy massages.