Russian women apprehended as third suspect in British-Russian extortion scam

[Rimmer]

Third suspect nabbed in British-Russian extortion scam

PATTAYA:--A third suspect in an international extortion ring that targeted a French businessman in Pattaya has been captured.

Natalia Makian, 31, was captured by Chonburi Immigration police outside a house in the Chokchai Garden Home 2 Village June 29, five weeks after her alleged Russian and British cohorts were nabbed for allegedly kidnapping Frenchman Laurent Thery over failure to pay protection money.

She was apprehended while speaking to fellow Russian, 23-year-old Alexander Filipenko, who was found to be residing illegally in the kingdom and also arrested.

Makian was charged with conspiring in the extortion scheme allegedly carried by Dennis Zarbodaev, 42, and Thor Fenrirpallson Halland, 40, who were taken into custody May 21 as they stepped off a boat from Koh Larn.

Taken to the immigration office on Jomtien Soi 5, the two were accused of running a protection racket, charging Thery 15,000 baht a month under threat of violence if he reported it to the police.

Thery, 52, runs a halal food-processing equipment factory and filed a complaint after he claimed the pair kidnapped him.

The Frenchman identified Makian and told police he not only had transferred the 15,000 baht to the two men, but also suspended his export business for two months, which cost him 200,000 baht.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/third-suspect-nabbed-in-british-russian-extortion-scam-48769#sthash.eYkb3dfd.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2015-07-10

[onemorechang]

Well done to the French guy, for standing up to the scum bags.

[Happy Grumpy]

Some time served on her knees and she'll be free.

[harrycallahan]

He should have had them whacked, no one would miss them.

[lee b]

Good, now lets see what the outcome will be !

[kingalfred]

Russian and British kidnapping a frenchman for failing to pay "protection money" in Thailand? Hahaha. No crime is surprising here

[easybullet3]

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!

he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).

if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

[Equalizer]

To protect him from who or what? Seems like there may be some more to it all. Historically speaking of course.

[nev]

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!

he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).

if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

The reason stand over people get away with what they do is because no one will stand up to them, good on him for doing this and I hope the community of Pattaya get behind him and support him, and yes also offer him protection but at no cost.

[Petmag]

Well done that man for his bravery..

[Jim walker]

failure to pay protection money people involved in this sort of nasty crimes against honest businesses should be locked up in a grotty prison for a long time to teach them a lesson and hopefully the victim has enough money left to cross the Thai judges palm so they go down for an extra good few years, just to return the favour.

[petercool]

A troll post and replies to it all removed.

[Bignose]

Extremely brave and to be commended, I understand the sentiments and opinions regarding the risk he has taken but hopefully the entire gang of scumbags has been captured.

There is no "honor among thieves" and there will be no one wanting to exact retribution for the sake of those who hopefully will be jailed, their cohorts will have forgotten them already and will have moved on to their next scam.

An excellent example for us all...

[mathias67]

Well done to the French guy, for standing up to the scum bags.

Give them at least 5 years in a Thai prison and then stamp their passports never to return

[philliphn]

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!

he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).

if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

They are not. The USA Mafia of the old days. In fact they are not the Mafia at all. They were small time extotionists. You must stand up to people like that!

[Mot Dang]

Why did she hang around once her two cohorts were arrested ? Strange, but probably not to bright. Good that the police were able to kill two birds with one stone. Grabbed her and found her chatting to an illegal alien. I like that. I would have loved to have seen the look on his face when they pounced.

Good work Pattaya Grey Ghosts, kick as many of these Russian, and all other foreign criminals, out of the Kingdom as soon as you can. Mr.P, you want unity, this is the way to do it.

[HerbalEd]

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!

he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).

if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

Re. "yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!" No "but" needed. If it wasn't risky it wouldn't be brave.

Edited July 10, 2015 by HerbalEd

[Ulic]

Unless theses guys were kicking money up to someone else who was allowing them to run this

kind of racket I expect them to do some semi serious time before being deported. The protection

racket is clearly a protected industry for Thais only.

[gchurch259]

Two words; "Russian Mafia" !!

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!
he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).
if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.
its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

The reason stand over people get away with what they do is because no one will stand up to them, good on him for doing this and I hope the community of Pattaya get behind him and support him, and yes also offer him protection but at no cost.

[KamalaRider]

yes,, its really brave of him,,, but also very risky!!!

he has just sent some bad guys to jail !!!! surely the future is now dangerous for this french guy. (unless of course he is planning to go back to France).

if he is to stay in Pattaya, then now he has to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

its good what he did, but it comes with scary consequences.

These russian/gals guys aren't pros, 15 000 THB per month and no body injury to show how serious they were, they were wannabees, nothing else and the French guy should be happy about it.

If it were real mafia guys from russia, he would NEVER talk about it to anyone.

English hoodlums are like puddy cats compared to these russian professional mafia scum bags.

[hgma]

Its NOT funny!!!!

Russian and British kidnapping a frenchman for failing to pay "protection money" in Thailand? Hahaha. No crime is surprising here

[TimmyT]

why there is no Russian bashing? or wait, a British is also involved...

[CapeThai]

Just another day is Pattaya!!! Nothing is surprising here....??

[lvr181]

why there is no Russian bashing? or wait, a British is also involved...

Because Ruskies don't rise to "the bait" like the Brits do? I think the Ruskies probably have no sense of humour at all, unlike the Brits.

[sammygood]

protection money to a non thai organisation

not fair... stealing jobs