Foreign Gang Robs Ukrainian Tourist of Over 8 Million Baht in Phuket

[Georgealbert]

 

 

A Ukrainian tourist fell victim to a foreign gang who lured him to a room in Phuket, where he was attacked, bound, and threatened with violence before being forced to transfer a staggering amount of 250,000 USD in cryptocurrency.

The incident, reported to Lieutenant Surasit Wandi of Kamala Police Station by the victim, Mr. Viacheslav Liubov, 23, unfolded on the night of November 8. Mr. Liubov recounted that he was invited by his friend, Alfred Chernishuk, 18, also from Ukraine, to a room in Kamala, Phuket. Upon arrival, he was met at the entrance by Arman Grigoryan, 21, from Armenia, who escorted him inside.

 

As they conversed on the balcony, Mr. Liubov went to use the bathroom, where he was ambushed by two masked men dressed in black. One man restrained him in a chokehold while the other bound his hands and feet using ropes and cable ties. Grigoryan then threatened to break his fingers if he refused to transfer the funds. Wielding a hammer, Grigoryan demanded the money while one of the masked men brandished a large knife nearby.

 

Though initially forced to agree to transfer 500,000 USD, Mr. Liubov managed to negotiate the amount down to 250,000 USD, fearing for his safety. Once the transaction was complete, the gang left, warning him not to report the incident.

 

After freeing himself, Mr. Liubov took photos of the tenants' passports for evidence and alerted the hotel staff to avoid entering the room for evidence preservation. Despite searching for the suspects at Phuket Airport, he was unsuccessful and later reported the crime at Kamala Police Station.

 

Authorities are now investigating and pursuing the suspects in connection with the robbery, which has raised concerns about tourist safety in Phuket.

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

-- 2024-11-09

 

 

[khunPer]

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

[NativeBob]

there are so many crypto P2P exchanges in Phuket! So he fell victim of just another bunch of thugs. 

PS: Dealing with 18-ish boy is indeed dumb as ______. 

[saakura]

2 minutes ago, khunPer said:

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

Please read the article, it was crypto held in some online safebox. Not cash in a traditional savings account at a brick & mortar bank.

[khunPer]

5 minutes ago, saakura said:

Please read the article, it was crypto held in some online safebox. Not cash in a traditional savings account at a brick & mortar bank.

Thanks, it makes it even more suspicious. Then someone – i.e., the criminals – would have knowledge about the victim having a crypto account.

[paul1804]

Very obviously they knew he had crypto so the assailants were most likely known by the victim!!!

[Peabody]

2 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

Very obviously they knew he had crypto so the assailants were most likely known by the victim!!!

And, it appears he searched for them himself at the airport before reporting the incident to police. Suspicious.

[gargamon]

So a 23 yr old has access to that kind of money? Likely crime related.

[Gottfrid]

19 hours ago, gargamon said:

So a 23 yr old has access to that kind of money? Likely crime related.

Most likely, but he just might have a very rich father. 🤣

[kuzmabruk]

21 hours ago, khunPer said:

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

I have no limit on transfers in or out, currency or crypto.  Think you might be thinking credit cards. 

[Freddy42OZ]

21 hours ago, khunPer said:

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

 

 

It wasn't cash in a bank account. 

Crypto transactions can be any size.

[PeachCH]

Perhaps was one of Selenskis operatives 😁They all have plenty of money 🤑 

[Ohyesuare]

20 hours ago, gargamon said:

So a 23 yr old has access to that kind of money? Likely crime related.

 

Cryptocurrency is at an all time high so if he bought a decent chunk low enough a year or two ago, he could easily have made that much now, legitimately. 

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Foreign Gang Arrested in Thai Hotel Raid for Robbing Tourist of Over 8 Million Baht

 

 

Thai police conducted a dramatic raid at a prominent hotel, successfully apprehending a gang of foreign criminals accused of luring and robbing a tourist of over 8 million baht. After securing arrest warrants, authorities moved in, capturing the suspects, who reportedly bound and restrained their victim. The suspects now face legal proceedings.

 

In the early hours of November 11, at 01:00 Police Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Rattanapan and his team from the Region 8 Investigation Division, along with officers from Phuket’s Provincial Investigation Division, Kamala Police, and the Tourism Police Division 3, arrested four foreign suspects in front of a hotel in Khok Kloi, Takua Thung District, Phang Nga Province. The gang allegedly lured a Ukrainian tourist and proceeded to rob him of approximately 250,000 U.S. dollars.

 

The arrested individuals, as named by police are;

 

1. Mr. Arman Grigoryan, 21, Armenian. Charged under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 675/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) for armed robbery, illegal detention, and depriving another person of freedom for coercive purposes.

 

2. Mr. Alfred, 18, Ukrainian. Charged under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 676/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) for armed robbery, illegal detention, and deprivation of freedom.

 

3. Mr. Ruslan Musaev, 22, Ukrainian. Arrested under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 674/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) on similar charges of armed robbery, detention, and coercion.

 

4. Mr. Maras Anetroy, 21, Russian. Charged with armed robbery, illegal detention, and coercion.

 

According to authorities, the gang strategically targeted the tourist, lured him to a location, and carried out the robbery, which included binding and restraining the victim. All suspects were arrested without resistance and are being held as the investigation proceeds.

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

-- 2024-11-11

 

[Iron Tongue]

20 hours ago, gargamon said:

So a 23 yr old has access to that kind of money? Likely crime related.

Very likely.

Ukraine was (at least before the war) one of the leading countries active in online fraud, crypto theft, and ransomware attacks.  

[LoudHailer]

What a movie plot! 23 year old Ukrainian who appears to have over US$500,000 in crypto currency residing in Thailand perhaps avoiding being called-up to fight in the war with Russia. Enter the Armenian gangsters. 

 

All this leads me to urge readers to see the American 2024  movie currently screening in Thailand called, 'Anora.' It's got "everything" to keep you intensely entertained from beginning to end, including Russian billionaires and Armenian thugs. And girls!

[madone]

21 hours ago, khunPer said:

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

FFS read the bloody story before typing

 

Quote

 250,000 USD in cryptocurrency.

 

its in the FIRST sentence in bold.
 

[BerndD]

8 minutes ago, PeachCH said:

Perhaps was one of Selenskis operatives 😁They all have plenty of money 🤑 

Whose agent are you to give such stupid stuff?

[NaaKap]

Just a crazy dangerous world we all live in now. Just cannot trust anyone or anything these days. I can't see it improving in the near future either. We seem to be loosing all social cohesion where you have to watch your back every second and trust nothing. 

[kiwikeith]

21 hours ago, saakura said:

Please read the article, it was crypto held in some online safebox. Not cash in a traditional savings account at a brick & mortar bank.

Amazes me, took pictures of passports, whose? then went to the airport as a vigilante, to look for the perps- who were going to smash his hands up with a hammer, having no luck he reports this to the police to find the perps, something smells like rotten fish here. 

[Georgealbert]

This Thai News clip, contains the CCTV footage, from the night of the abduction.

Yellow box is Liubov, the victim.

 

Red box is Arman

 

 

[Jonathan Swift]

21 hours ago, khunPer said:

US$250,000 is a lot to have as cash in a bank account, and a high limit for online transfers...

How did the thugs know he had that kind of money? Loose lips sink ships. 

[wombat]

22 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

managed to negotiate the amount down to 250,000 USD, fearing for his safety.

more holes in this story than swiss cheese

[Jonathan Swift]

26 minutes ago, kuzmabruk said:

I have no limit on transfers in or out, currency or crypto.  Think you might be thinking credit cards. 

Debit cards usually have iron clad limits. Credit cards can raise limits to a moderate degree is you ask  them, but in both cases they will alert you first and ask if the transaction is legit. 

[Jonathan Swift]

21 hours ago, paul1804 said:

Very obviously they knew he had crypto so the assailants were most likely known by the victim!!!

There's no way in heII anyone at all ever would know how much money I have and where. Also, I wouldn't advertise it with Rolex watches, gold jewelry and necklaces. 

[Frankie baby]

Well done Thai police, credit were its due.

[Cabradelmar]

Targeted because you run your month about how much money you have. Be smarter. Stay safe.

[kiwikeith]

33 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE
Foreign Gang Arrested in Thai Hotel Raid for Robbing Tourist of Over 8 Million Baht

 

 

Thai police conducted a dramatic raid at a prominent hotel, successfully apprehending a gang of foreign criminals accused of luring and robbing a tourist of over 8 million baht. After securing arrest warrants, authorities moved in, capturing the suspects, who reportedly bound and restrained their victim. The suspects now face legal proceedings.

 

In the early hours of November 11, at 01:00 Police Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Rattanapan and his team from the Region 8 Investigation Division, along with officers from Phuket’s Provincial Investigation Division, Kamala Police, and the Tourism Police Division 3, arrested four foreign suspects in front of a hotel in Khok Kloi, Takua Thung District, Phang Nga Province. The gang allegedly lured a Ukrainian tourist and proceeded to rob him of approximately 250,000 U.S. dollars.

 

The arrested individuals, as named by police are;

 

1. Mr. Arman Grigoryan, 21, Armenian. Charged under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 675/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) for armed robbery, illegal detention, and depriving another person of freedom for coercive purposes.

 

2. Mr. Alfred, 18, Ukrainian. Charged under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 676/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) for armed robbery, illegal detention, and deprivation of freedom.

 

3. Mr. Ruslan Musaev, 22, Ukrainian. Arrested under Phuket Provincial Court warrant 674/2567 (issued November 10, 2024) on similar charges of armed robbery, detention, and coercion.

 

4. Mr. Maras Anetroy, 21, Russian. Charged with armed robbery, illegal detention, and coercion.

 

According to authorities, the gang strategically targeted the tourist, lured him to a location, and carried out the robbery, which included binding and restraining the victim. All suspects were arrested without resistance and are being held as the investigation proceeds.

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

-- 2024-11-11

 

Is this after the victim took pics of their passports then went to the airport to catch them by himself.

And what idiots would remain at the crime scene to be arrested. Very stupid going on here, but where is the crypto? whos got that, maybe someone organized this with a brain, and employed brainless idiots to carry out the crime. Who Knows.

[stevenl]

35 minutes ago, madone said:

FFS read the bloody story before typing

 

 

its in the FIRST sentence in bold.
 

FFS, please read other comments before commenting.

[Keeps]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Most likely, but he just might have a very rich father. 🤣

I thought you were going to say they were most likely Brits putting on fake Ukrainian/Armenian/Russian accents. 555