German Bar Owner Arrested On Charges Of Credit..

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: April 24th 2008

German Bar Owner arrested on charges of Credit Card Fraud by Immigration Police.

Acting on information received from German Embassy Officials, Immigration Police detained German Mr. Dirk Michelmann aged 40, a German National who is accused of credit card fraud totalling 6 Million Baht.

The German man was caught at Mod’s Bar, located in Soi 6 off Pattaya Second Bar, a bar which he reportedly owns.

The German man refused to speak to officers about the allegations but is known to have arrived in Thailand in 2007 following the alleged credit card scams which took place months earlier.

He is now in the hands of German Officials who will return him to Germany to face charges.

[PhilHarries]

Another dozy criminal who thought he could hide out in Thailand, a place of dumb natives who blindly hero worship these Gods from the West.

The Thai police may be largely a bunch of corrupt boneheads but they don't like being made to look stupid particularly by foriegners.

[jonniebkk]

Something seems to be missing from the story for me. First, why would the German police concern themselves with a case of penny-ante credit card fraud in the first place. The amount involved being only a couple hundred thousand US dollars. I mean, they must not have much to do if they chase one of their nationals halfway around the world for this amount of money. Secondly, as the crime occurred in Germany, why would the Thai police be so quick to get involved.

More likely explanation is the the guy was wanted for some sorta sex-perversion crime back home and that the Thai officials didn't want to broadcast the fact that another foreign sex pervert had found his way to their country and was residing and working therein.

[Prakanong]

Thats a bloody big leap Johnnie - almost evel kneval like!

[britmaveric]

Hmmmm someone wanted his bar I suspect.... who's first in to grab it, prob one who grassed him up!!

[seagull]

Something seems to be missing from the story for me. First, why would the German police concern themselves with a case of penny-ante credit card fraud in the first place. The amount involved being only a couple hundred thousand US dollars. I mean, they must not have much to do if they chase one of their nationals halfway around the world for this amount of money. Secondly, as the crime occurred in Germany, why would the Thai police be so quick to get involved.

More likely explanation is the the guy was wanted for some sorta sex-perversion crime back home and that the Thai officials didn't want to broadcast the fact that another foreign sex pervert had found his way to their country and was residing and working therein.

Wow ! This is how post#3 could increased to a hundred in a single day . Next please.

[funfun]

Hmmmm someone wanted his bar I suspect.... who's first in to grab it, prob one who grassed him up!!

my thoughts too, aint heard owt yet though!

[Chang_paarp]

Hmmmm someone wanted his bar I suspect.... who's first in to grab it, prob one who grassed him up!!

my thoughts too, aint heard owt yet though!

So you don't think there will for sale signs out the front.

[PhilHarries]

Thats a bloody big leap Johnnie - almost evel kneval like!

Not such a big leap. Jonniebkk has a good point there, 6 mil Baht is not such a huge amount to warrant all the exradition process paperwork etc. It's either that there's more to the crime than they're letting on or he's p1ssed someone off bigtime. I'm not sure I'd go with the wanted bar theory though, who wants to own a Pattaya beer bar that bad?

It is possible it is only the 6 mil fraud and the German found out that little money is not sufficient to buy anonymity.

[jonniebkk]

Thats a bloody big leap Johnnie - almost evel kneval like!

Not such a big leap. Jonniebkk has a good point there, 6 mil Baht is not such a huge amount to warrant all the exradition process paperwork etc. It's either that there's more to the crime than they're letting on or he's p1ssed someone off bigtime. I'm not sure I'd go with the wanted bar theory though, who wants to own a Pattaya beer bar that bad?

You flesh out my point a little Phil. If the German system is anything like that in America, defrauding a credit card company of that amount of money would not likely exercise the police to any degree. Worldwide, banks writ-off several hundred billion dollars of unpaid credit card debt per year (why do you think the interest rates are so high). Basically, if the bank wanted restitution, they could pursue the matter in the civil courts. Even if someone fled to avoid paying a civil judgment, it's unlikely the German authorities would pursue the matter of arrest/extradition half-way around the world.

No, there is definitely another reason for this arrest.

[funfun]

Hmmmm someone wanted his bar I suspect.... who's first in to grab it, prob one who grassed him up!!

my thoughts too, aint heard owt yet though!

So you don't think there will for sale signs out the front.

ha ha ha, im sat outside having a tea and walked down, right on nail!!!!

chris

[Kerryd]

Hmmmm someone wanted his bar I suspect.... who's first in to grab it, prob one who grassed him up!!

my thoughts too, aint heard owt yet though!

Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened now, would it ?

It is quite possible that this guy culd have continued on for years (hiding out here), but perhaps a fellow countryman recognized him and tipped off the authorities back in Germany ? Could be a number of ways he was undone. The German's would have had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and if he ever set foot back in the EU he would have been busted. Unlikely that they would have been actively searching for him around the world, but if they received a tip about his whereabouts, the wheels would have been set in motion.

There are a number of people in Thailand that are wanted back in their home countries for various crimes. Just as there probably are large numbers of the same in places like PI and Cambodia. They are fairly safe as long as they keep their noses clean, keep a low profile, and don't get recognized.

If that pedo (Chris Neil) hadn't posted his sicko pics on the 'net, he would probably still be on the loose molesting little kids all around Asia.

If that guy that owned the bar by soi 2 hadn't been running around poking his staff with a penknife, he probably wouldn't have been reported to the cops (who found him with an expired passport, or at least without a valid visa). If he hadn't been busted, his partner (who if I recall correctly was also here illegally) wouldn't have been nailed as well.

Having a soi 6 location, this bar is probably worth a pretty penny. But from what I've seen/heard/read, usually when a bar-owner gets busted (gassed by a rival competitor/business partner, etc), it's usually for WP or Visa reasons.

Might be a business opprotunity there though. Someone might want to pay this guy a visit and offer him some ridiculously low sum for his bar. He may need the money to buy (er, bail) his way out out of jail, or at least pay for a lawyer when he gets back to Germany.

[funfun]

2.4 i heard last night

chris

[Kerryd]

2.4 i heard last night

chris

Was that the asking price, or the offered price ?

I think britmaveric should pony up some dough and turn the place into the much vaunted Public Library that we all know is located somewhere on the same soi. A nice place to relax, read a book (or, for many here, just look at the pictures), while librarians with little skirts provide refeshments.

[britmaveric]

Hmmmm might be a good name for a bar - Public Library!!

[Prakanong]

Thats a bloody big leap Johnnie - almost evel kneval like!

Not such a big leap. Jonniebkk has a good point there, 6 mil Baht is not such a huge amount to warrant all the exradition process paperwork etc. It's either that there's more to the crime than they're letting on or he's p1ssed someone off bigtime. I'm not sure I'd go with the wanted bar theory though, who wants to own a Pattaya beer bar that bad?

It is possible it is only the 6 mil fraud and the German found out that little money is not sufficient to buy anonymity.

My reference was to the immediate leap to the sexual crimes charges and not other reasons.

As for credit card fraud - well there are two types - is it maxing out his own with no intention to pay (not likely to get chased up) or did he pilfer someone elses or do it in a novel way where the law needs to be seen to be making a stand?

A lot of assumptions on this board - if Johnnie is to be beleived anyone arrested for anything less than murder back home is really wanted for being a nonce - see what hyperbole arrives at?

Edited April 26, 2008 by Prakanong

[suiging]

Popped in Mods for a gander at the w-end. Happy smiling faces and Mamma with a lot of gold.........................No signs of stress, Herman stiched up me thinks.