List of Thai monk's assets mounts

[SOTIRIOS]

...how is it that they are not tracing the money....mind-boggling.....

....never reveal the sources....so that they can continue doing what they do....

...just like the car tax scam....sacrifice 5-10 cars......and forget the 10's of thousands......and the people or organizations behind them...

[lostmebike]

The pic this morning on the BP is the head abbot of his congregation heading into the courthouse, looking all agitated. He claims that the monk is a disgrace etc etc.

I would tend to think the abbot would have had to known what was going on.

'I would tend to think the abbot would have had to known what was going on'

Exactly. One would think, surely someone would notice the women, the children, the extravagant lifestyle or what about the gossip? Thai's have made gossiping an art form yet he still continues to 'rape and pillage' the system, nothing said, no action, nothing. Obviously 'donations' were clouding a lot of people's judgement shall we say. Then after his flights and advertisements, finally the

[camerata]

What the article fails to mention is the number of photographs being aired on various cable TV new programmes of the pious Luang Pu Nenkham being feted and kowtowed to by quite a number of senior police and military types.

I wonder why, and I wonder why the said senior police and military types were paying him this interestingly sycophantic degree of respect in the first place?

Because it is claimed the monk has supernatural powers, such as levitation and being able to see other realms of existence. It's also claimed he is, or will be, enlightened in this life. Many Thais are quite gullible about this type of claim. It should be obvious that a monk attached to luxury goods is not on the fast-track to enlightenment.

[camerata]

One wonders how the Office of National Buddhism and other groups who supposedly "monitor" Buddhism managed to miss such an ostentatious and well-known monk until a video clip went viral on YouTube. Then again, the Wat Dhammakaya sect is still going strong, and the court case against it was dropped in mysterious circumstances.

[EyesWideOpen]

The best part of this story would occur when a list is published showing who he was laundering money for. But I suppose that will never happen. Again the amounts of money involved are so staggering there is no way in the world they came out of a collection box. But I still cannot understand what happens after he launders the money. How does he get it back to the "influential figures" ?

[Cuban]

Not a real monk then.

[Bung]

He's definitely laundering corruption money for influential people. I hope they confiscate the lot and do something good with the money, like buy some new buses. That way all those fat cats can watch their money go as they drive past them in their limousines

[GeorgeO]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

I'm just amazed that "the system" allows him to continue to refer to himself, and to be referred to by others, as a monk. He is obviously not a monk, but the most corrupt of individuals, a trickster, conman, thief...!

How can any monk hold his head high when this continues to make news headlines? He should be shunned by the monkhood, 'defrocked' immediately, and extradition sought so that he can be brought back to pay penance for bringing the monkhood into disrepute.

One assumes that all of these assets that have been found have now been sequestered and will ultimately be used for projects aimed at helping the poor ... or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

[finnomick]

What the article fails to mention is the number of photographs being aired on various cable TV new programmes of the pious Luang Pu Nenkham being feted and kowtowed to by quite a number of senior police and military types.

I wonder why, and I wonder why the said senior police and military types were paying him this interestingly sycophantic degree of respect in the first place?

He's been " looking after ' money for them perhaps ?

More like they're on his payroll.....

[fakename]

The Rolls should be turned into a tractor, and given to a farmers family. Otherwise, it will just go to another crook. These cars need to be destroyed, not recirculated to others.

[Robby nz]

ONB director Noppharat Benjawatthananant warned that Luang Pu Nenkham would be considered guilty, if he failed to return to Thailand by the end of the month.

I note that the same thing does not apply to another super rich fugitive from justice.

[Doc46]

All religions are the same,they all have corrupted followers ,they (Religions ) are the biggest scammers in the world,they take your money for what you believe in,,,,How can you believe in something that you CAN'T see,,,That's already a scam. I listen to my very wise 90 something year young mam..She said, Son never believe in something that you can't see and be aware of what you Do see and than make a decision. That's 100 % safe

[bdru31]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

Yep, only happens in Thailand:

• Jim Bakker - Created the PTL organization. Convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges after illegally soliciting millions of dollars from his followers.^[26]
• Hogen Fukunaga - Founder of Ho No Hana who was given a twelve-year jail sentence for fraudulently gaining 150 million yen from his followers.^[27]
• Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) - founder of the Creation Science Evangelism ministry. Willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over Federal income taxes, knowingly structuring transactions in Federally-insured financial institutions to evade the reporting requirements, and obstructing and impeding the administration of the internal revenue laws.^[28][29]
• L. Ron Hubbard - Founder of Scientology. He was convicted of petty theft and ordered to pay a $25 fine in San Luis Obispo, California 1948^[30] and in 1978 was convicted of illegal business practices, namely, making false claims about his ability to cure physical illnesses in France. He was sentenced to four years in prison, which was never served.^{[31][32][33][34][35]}
• Luc Jouret - A founder of the Order of the Solar Temple. He was convicted in Canadian Federal Court of conspiring to buy illegal handguns.^[36]
• Henry Lyons - Former President of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Convicted for racketeering and grand theft.^[37]
• Barry Minkow - Head pastor of San Diego's Community Bible Church, and founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute, who had turned to religion and entered the ministry after release from prison for the notorious ZZZZ Best fraud, returned to prison in 2011 for further acts of securities fraud while serving as a clergyman.^[38]
• Sun Myung Moon - Leader of Unification Church, imprisoned for criminal tax fraud in the 1980s.^[39]
• Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh – later called Osho. Fined $400,000 and given a 10-year suspended sentence following a plea bargain agreement in which he made an Alford plea to (1) a charge of having concealed his intent to remain permanently in the U.S. at the time he applied for his visa extension and (2) a charge of having conspired to have followers stay illegally in the country by having them enter into sham marriages.^[40]Deported from the United States.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

So... your argument is that two wrongs somehow make a right? The fact that you can pull up headlines from elsewhere is because those people too are being persecuted and prosecuted; that's why they are in the news. If there is murder somewhere else in the world, does that make it okay here? If there is corruption, then it's okay for people to be corrupt here? The monk should be prosecuted; and if found guilty--then he deserves all the legal and verbal abuse he can get. What does or does not happen elsewhere is of little matter; it is still up to all of us to hold up our own to proper conduct; no matter where we live.

It seems you failed to absorb the poster's point. You're acting like the list they posted was put up in response to the OP but it was not. It was clearly a response to the poster that said "Thailand at its finest Just par for the course." The intention was simply to remind the more racists readers and posters among our distinguished TV members that this type of thing doesn't only happen "par for the course" in Thailand.

Not quite sure how you missed it to be honest...

Of course these deeds should be lambasted and punished - no one is denying that. But what they shouldn't be used for is yet another reason to point fingers at Thais overall and insult their humanity. At the very best that's hypocritical. At the worst, it's fodder for breeding hatred of Thais, which there seems to be quite enough of here.

[JulesMad]

He can redeem himself if he gives me just 25% of his assets

[hawker9000]

Now IMO, THIS represents religious/moral abandonment in sharp contrast to that monk who announced openly he's leaving the monkhood in order to marry. The latter was honest enough to share the fact that he no longer felt he could honor his vows as a monk and would therefore separate himself from the monkhood and THEN take up normal married life, whereas this guy has been deceiving everyone (well, apparently not EVERYONE...but generally) and disgracing himself for who knows how long. It's not the kind of thing that one exactly deserves to be boiled in oil for, but publicly shamed & shunned certainly. I wonder how the Buddhist religious establishment deals with matters like this. I would certainly hope that all those "donations" could be recovered from this guy (BEFORE perhaps revisiting those rape allegations which might now just happen to take a costly turn...).

[Kudel]

The evidence against this 'holy man' and his financial activities seems to be so damning, one wonders if it will lead to extradition should he decide to stay put in France.

Couple his thirst for jet-setting with his apparent lust for the 'gals', you've got to ask, why/how has he gone so untouched/noticed till now? The general opinions of people of faith is one of decency and devotion to religion yet this one man has and will continue to drag Thai Buddhism and all it stands for through the sh*te for a long time. Many Thais were already disillusioned but the faith he 'practises'. This will no doubt fuel their doubts even further and the longer this 'shower' continues to rain, the more Thais will wonder why they donate and visit the temples.

He will probably not be able to stay in France because a schengen visa will only give him the maximum stay of 90 days ,if he seeks asylum in france it will probably not be granted to this joker because he will not be sentenced to death in Thailand for his colorfull lifestyle.

I remember a few years back the hole Thai community in my country was in shock and horror because a certain monk from a very famous temple in Thailand got locked up in immigration and deported for overstaying his visa apparently some holy men think they can break the law and get away with it.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Kudel

[Thai at Heart]

<p>

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

Yep, only happens in Thailand:

• Jim Bakker - Created the PTL organization. Convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges after illegally soliciting millions of dollars from his followers.^[26]
• Hogen Fukunaga - Founder of Ho No Hana who was given a twelve-year jail sentence for fraudulently gaining 150 million yen from his followers.^[27]
• Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) - founder of the Creation Science Evangelism ministry. Willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over Federal income taxes, knowingly structuring transactions in Federally-insured financial institutions to evade the reporting requirements, and obstructing and impeding the administration of the internal revenue laws.^[28][29]
• L. Ron Hubbard - Founder of Scientology. He was convicted of petty theft and ordered to pay a $25 fine in San Luis Obispo, California 1948^[30] and in 1978 was convicted of illegal business practices, namely, making false claims about his ability to cure physical illnesses in France. He was sentenced to four years in prison, which was never served.^{[31][32][33][34][35]}
• Luc Jouret - A founder of the Order of the Solar Temple. He was convicted in Canadian Federal Court of conspiring to buy illegal handguns.^[36]
• Henry Lyons - Former President of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Convicted for racketeering and grand theft.^[37]
• Barry Minkow - Head pastor of San Diego's Community Bible Church, and founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute, who had turned to religion and entered the ministry after release from prison for the notorious ZZZZ Best fraud, returned to prison in 2011 for further acts of securities fraud while serving as a clergyman.^[38]
• Sun Myung Moon - Leader of Unification Church, imprisoned for criminal tax fraud in the 1980s.^[39]
• Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh later called Osho. Fined $400,000 and given a 10-year suspended sentence following a plea bargain agreement in which he made an Alford plea to (1) a charge of having concealed his intent to remain permanently in the U.S. at the time he applied for his visa extension and (2) a charge of having conspired to have followers stay illegally in the country by having them enter into sham marriages.^[40]Deported from the United States.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

Yup. They were con artists. And???

[BuriramRes]

Someone mentioned the Pope.

In Brisbane, Australia, the catholic church planned to build a cathedral. They actually started off building the crypt and held church services there whilst they raised the rest of the money.

Once the money for the cathedral was raised, what did they do, yes, they sent it to Rome to be "blessed". It never returned. For years the crypt was there and being used for church services. Now the site, near the centre of Brisbane, has been sold and a housing development has been built. The church, however, still has the crypt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited July 6, 2013 by BuriramRes

[MobileContent]

Not all monks are bad in Thailand. Surely their are greedy one around but I met many humbled monks during the past 24 years in Thailand. People long enough in Thailand know how to sort them out.

[Kudel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2xXXSFE-NU

The lord moves in mysterious ways.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Kudel

[MAJIC]

The best part of this story would occur when a list is published showing who he was laundering money for. But I suppose that will never happen. Again the amounts of money involved are so staggering there is no way in the world they came out of a collection box. But I still cannot understand what happens after he launders the money. How does he get it back to the "influential figures" ?

"Again the amounts of money are so staggering there is no way in the world they came out of a collection box"

But not so staggering when converted to GBP,200 Million Baht = £4.255 million GBP.

[winstonc]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

Here we go. Bash Thailand this happens nowhere else in the world syndrome. What pious heights the pure condemn from! Ungh!

What purist country do you come from bra?

einstein,,,,,its a THAI forum,,,the clue is in the title,,,,,,,

[Tchooptip]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

Yep, only happens in Thailand:

• Jim Bakker - Created the PTL organization. Convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges after illegally soliciting millions of dollars from his followers.^[26]
• Hogen Fukunaga - Founder of Ho No Hana who was given a twelve-year jail sentence for fraudulently gaining 150 million yen from his followers.^[27]
• Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) - founder of the Creation Science Evangelism ministry. Willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over Federal income taxes, knowingly structuring transactions in Federally-insured financial institutions to evade the reporting requirements, and obstructing and impeding the administration of the internal revenue laws.^[28][29]
• L. Ron Hubbard - Founder of Scientology. He was convicted of petty theft and ordered to pay a $25 fine in San Luis Obispo, California 1948^[30] and in 1978 was convicted of illegal business practices, namely, making false claims about his ability to cure physical illnesses in France. He was sentenced to four years in prison, which was never served.^{[31][32][33][34][35]}
• Luc Jouret - A founder of the Order of the Solar Temple. He was convicted in Canadian Federal Court of conspiring to buy illegal handguns.^[36]
• Henry Lyons - Former President of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Convicted for racketeering and grand theft.^[37]
• Barry Minkow - Head pastor of San Diego's Community Bible Church, and founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute, who had turned to religion and entered the ministry after release from prison for the notorious ZZZZ Best fraud, returned to prison in 2011 for further acts of securities fraud while serving as a clergyman.^[38]
• Sun Myung Moon - Leader of Unification Church, imprisoned for criminal tax fraud in the 1980s.^[39]
• Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh – later called Osho. Fined $400,000 and given a 10-year suspended sentence following a plea bargain agreement in which he made an Alford plea to (1) a charge of having concealed his intent to remain permanently in the U.S. at the time he applied for his visa extension and (2) a charge of having conspired to have followers stay illegally in the country by having them enter into sham marriages.^[40]Deported from the United States.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

Yep, only happens in Thailand: ...

[giggles]

no mention of all the gold he was given to build the replica of the buddha statue

[Somtamnication]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

Yep, only happens in Thailand:

• Jim Bakker - Created the PTL organization. Convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges after illegally soliciting millions of dollars from his followers.^[26]
• Hogen Fukunaga - Founder of Ho No Hana who was given a twelve-year jail sentence for fraudulently gaining 150 million yen from his followers.^[27]
• Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) - founder of the Creation Science Evangelism ministry. Willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over Federal income taxes, knowingly structuring transactions in Federally-insured financial institutions to evade the reporting requirements, and obstructing and impeding the administration of the internal revenue laws.^[28][29]
• L. Ron Hubbard - Founder of Scientology. He was convicted of petty theft and ordered to pay a $25 fine in San Luis Obispo, California 1948^[30] and in 1978 was convicted of illegal business practices, namely, making false claims about his ability to cure physical illnesses in France. He was sentenced to four years in prison, which was never served.^{[31][32][33][34][35]}
• Luc Jouret - A founder of the Order of the Solar Temple. He was convicted in Canadian Federal Court of conspiring to buy illegal handguns.^[36]
• Henry Lyons - Former President of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Convicted for racketeering and grand theft.^[37]
• Barry Minkow - Head pastor of San Diego's Community Bible Church, and founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute, who had turned to religion and entered the ministry after release from prison for the notorious ZZZZ Best fraud, returned to prison in 2011 for further acts of securities fraud while serving as a clergyman.^[38]
• Sun Myung Moon - Leader of Unification Church, imprisoned for criminal tax fraud in the 1980s.^[39]
• Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh – later called Osho. Fined $400,000 and given a 10-year suspended sentence following a plea bargain agreement in which he made an Alford plea to (1) a charge of having concealed his intent to remain permanently in the U.S. at the time he applied for his visa extension and (2) a charge of having conspired to have followers stay illegally in the country by having them enter into sham marriages.^[40]Deported from the United States.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

Yep, only happens in Thailand: ...

Yes, they will all meet in hell. But the issue is their vow of poverty. None of the white boys, nor Reverend Ike ( who sent cookies in an envelope to old black people asking them to put it on their head and insert $100 in the envelope and send it back with the cookie) took that vow.

This "monk"ey did.

[bangon04]

What the article fails to mention is the number of photographs being aired on various cable TV new programmes of the pious Luang Pu Nenkham being feted and kowtowed to by quite a number of senior police and military types.

I wonder why, and I wonder why the said senior police and military types were paying him this interestingly sycophantic degree of respect in the first place?

Are we surprised that the rape allegation made against him was not taken further?

[bangon04]

Corruption ... deceipt ... illegal payments ... Thailand at its finest Just par for the course

I'm just amazed that "the system" allows him to continue to refer to himself, and to be referred to by others, as a monk. He is obviously not a monk, but the most corrupt of individuals, a trickster, conman, thief...!

How can any monk hold his head high when this continues to make news headlines? He should be shunned by the monkhood, 'defrocked' immediately, and extradition sought so that he can be brought back to pay penance for bringing the monkhood into disrepute.

One assumes that all of these assets that have been found have now been sequestered and will ultimately be used for projects aimed at helping the poor ... or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

At least he is not in danger of bringing the image of Thailand into disrepute overseas, so the TAT can breathe again....

[surangw]

they trying to compete with the pope?

[Thai at Heart]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/10163889/Private-jet-flying-Buddhist-monk-a-fake.html

Hits the British press.

[jbrain]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/10163889/Private-jet-flying-Buddhist-monk-a-fake.html

Hits the British press.

Nopparat Benjawatananun, the director-general of the Office of National Buddhism, warned that he must return to Thailand within the month to answer the mounting list of charges against him.. Failure to do so would mean he accepts the accusations and harsh action will be taken against him," said Mr Nopparat.

Let me guess, he will get a slap on both wrists instead of on only one.

Edited July 6, 2013 by jbrain