Taiwanses Fugitive Arrested In Bangkok

[george]

Taiwanese fugitive wanted for fraud arrested in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Fugitive Ting Kai-jen, who has been wanted by police since late 1997 on charges of fraud and other money-related crimes, was deported by Thailand and escorted back to Taipei on Wednesday by Ministry of Justice Investig-ation Bureau officials.

The officials said that Ting, 43, operated an underground money exchange and remittance business in collaboration three others between January 1997 and Novem-ber 2002, handling over NT$11.5 billion (US$333.33 million) in cash remittances and bagging at least NT$29 million in profit.

Ting has been on the bureau's wanted list since Aug. 26, 2003.

Meanwhile, bureau investigators found that Ting had fled Taiwan as early as December 1997 and had been operating his cross-border illegal business from headquarters overseas. His operations encompassed Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and the Philippines, officials said.

After being informed several days ago that Ting was going to travel to Bangkok, bureau agents went there to arrest him. With the help of Thai police, bureau agents arrested Ting at Bangkok's international airport on Tuesday.

-- Taipei Times 2004-07-23