Phuket police nab Taiwanese for buying multiple bank accounts

[webfact]

Phuket police nab Taiwanese for buying multiple bank accounts
Eakkapop Thongtub


Chen, seated at Kathu Police Station, with some of his collection of bank books and cards.

PHUKET: -- Kathu police have arrested a Taiwanese man who attempted to hire 12 Thai people to open accounts with ATM cards for “financial transactions”.

One of the 12 reported the matter to the police.

Chen Yuchung, 33, was arrested just before leaving his accommodation in Patong to head for Phuket International Airport. He was in Thailand on a tourist visa.

He admitted that he had hired Thai people to open multiple bank accounts.

The 12 bank accounts were opened in Jungceylon and Central Festival Phuket malls. Each of the 12 people was paid between B5,000 and B7,000 to open an account.

Suwarot Taebut, 47, who was offered B6,000, reported Chen’s approach to Kathu police.

When arrested, Chen was found in possession of five Kasikornbank ATM cards for three accounts with bank books in the name of Tom Onkaew, Moe Thidarwin and Suwarot Taebut; six Bangkok Bank ATM cards and one bank book in the name of Naw Li Zar; and one Siam Commercial Bank ATM card.

It is not yet clear what these might be used for. Chen himself told police he had no idea what the bank accounts would be used for.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-police-nab-taiwanese-for-buying-multiple-bank-accounts-50831.php

-- Phuket News 2015-02-02

[shirtless]

There is one spammer i wont have to worry about, well done .

[dpeti73]

for some kind of scamming like sell something what never arriving to buyer (iPhone, computer, whatever)

[LivinLOS]

While obviously up to no good.. I wonder what crime exactly they will charge him with..

People administer others bank accounts all the time..

[thefactoryoutlet]

What is illegal ?

[Nemesis7]

Wondering what these could have been used for?

[BudRight]

What's the big deal? I have 10 bank accounts.

[NamKangMan]

Wondering what these could have been used for?

Money laundering, fraud, tax evasion etc etc.

[NamKangMan]

What's the big deal? I have 10 bank accounts.

Are they in other people's names?

[LivinLOS]

What's the big deal? I have 10 bank accounts.

Are they in other people's names?

No but if you deal with payments online for services in Thailand you will see its very very common for a person or business to be administering someones account which is not their name.

If that practice is illegal, its so common as to be routine.