Swiss man admits to part in smear campaign: Thai-Malaysia relations

[webfact]

THAI-MALAYSIAN RELATIONS
Swiss man admits to part in smear campaign
JESSADA JANTHARAK,
NOPPADOL SRITHAWEEKARD
THE NATION


Justo

BANGKOK: -- A POLICE investigation into a Swiss suspect, who is being detained in Thailand on blackmail charges, has revealed that his network planned to use distorted information to attack a neighbouring country's government through media in Europe as part of a smear campaign, police spokesman Maj-General Prawut Thavornsiri said yesterday.

Xavier Justo's accomplices include the media and a former key politician of this neighbouring country. Though Prawut did not identify the neighbouring country, it is widely understood that he was referring to Malaysia.

Justo, a former PetroSaudi International executive, was arrested in Surat Thani's Koh Samui on June 22 for allegedly trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs (about Bt90 million) from PetroSaudi in exchange for not disclosing confidential information.

Prawut said Justo confessed and handed in all information and evidence, including e-mails and messages via WhatsApp, which revealed that the suspect was part of a network that planned to sell this distorted information to discredit the government of this neighbouring country.

"We also found that the suspect's network included the press and a former key politician from this country," the spokesman said, adding that the suspect had received payment for this information in Singapore.

In his confession, Justo provided dates, times and venues of the meetings, which Prawut said had been cross-checked and found to be correct.

This was believed to be part of a plot to discredit Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak by using false information about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state development fund chaired by Najib.

Previously, officials from this neighbouring country had asked Thai police for information, which it could not provide at that time because the investigation was ongoing, the police spokesman said.

"Now they can seek information on the case through the embassy," he said.

As of press time, Justo was still in detention at the Bangkok Remand Prison. Earlier, it had been rumoured that police had handed the suspect over to their Malaysian counterparts.

After Justo was arrested, a statement from PetroSaudi said the firm was relieved that the suspect would now face justice through the courts and that it had been the victim of a regrettable crime that had been politicised in Malaysia. "We are happy to finally set the record straight and we apologise to the Malaysian people for the harm that one of our unscrupulous ex-employees has caused to them," the statement read.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Swiss-man-admits-to-part-in-smear-campaign-30264626.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-17

[tonray]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

[BSJ]

"for allegedly trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs (about Bt90 million) " Wow, wish the Aussie $ was that sort of exchange rate!

[Andrew65]

"for allegedly trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs (about Bt90 million) " Wow, wish the Aussie $ was that sort of exchange rate!

....still waiting to hear where Mr Najib got the USD700 million, that appeared in his bank account!!

[CelticBhoy]

"trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs"

By my calculations that is about 90 Baht.

Either he is a hopeless crim or the usual

standards of local journalism are at work.

[halloween]

IMHO there is no need to distort information to smear the government of a neighbouring country over this issue. The facts are doing that very well without assistance.

[Barin]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

[sammygood]

so now the valuable info is in hands of the TO BE TRUSTED police

who knows that they don't have some friends that can continue the scam

[khunano]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

I agree, so I am wondering how the guy supposedly was: "Justo, a former PetroSaudi International executive"???

[kiwikeith]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

I agree, so I am wondering how the guy supposedly was: "Justo, a former PetroSaudi International executive"???

He looks about as Swiss as a $2.00 Rolex.

Try to extort money from Petro Corp, Why? maybe over what oil they are buying and who the money is going to?

Looks more middle eastern to me and the Tatoo's look the part for a former executive,/ more like a terrorist to me.

[Bluespunk]

"Prawut said Justo confessed and handed in all information and evidence, including e-mails and messages via WhatsApp, which revealed that the suspect was part of a network that planned to sell this distorted information to discredit the government of this neighbouring country."

Was the information distorted? I thought it was just information the company in question wanted kept quiet.

As for discrediting the govt alluded to....I think the revelations of corruption and mismanagement of the company in question that are gradually emerging in the country is doing that all on its own.

[Bluespunk]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

I agree, so I am wondering how the guy supposedly was: "Justo, a former PetroSaudi International executive"???

He looks about as Swiss as a $2.00 Rolex.

Try to extort money from Petro Corp, Why? maybe over what oil they are buying and who the money is going to?

Looks more middle eastern to me and the Tatoo's look the part for a former executive,/ more like a terrorist to me.

Nonsense.

He's Swiss, get over it.

[Eric Loh]

Najib is finished and this news will not vindicate his image even just a bit. Still a big sword of Damocles hand over his head with the WAJ report and his latest handling of the racial altercation. Critics blamed him for using race to rally Muslim support. He may survive until next election and by then Umno and his alliance will be gone.

[halloween]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

How much was your separation payment? his was pretty impressive.

[Bluespunk]

And yet it still wasn't enough for him.

[sirocco]

It is of Spanish origin, but Swiss.

[Asheron]

It is of Spanish origin, but Swiss.

Is that like a "Rachel Dolezal" thing? I mean, you can actually change your ethnicity nowadays? How cool, tomorrow i thought i would change my ethnicity to thai so i don't have to do visa-runs

[Bluespunk]

It is of Spanish origin, but Swiss.

Is that like a "Rachel Dolezal" thing? I mean, you can actually change your ethnicity nowadays? How cool, tomorrow i thought i would change my ethnicity to thai so i don't have to do visa-runs

To be Swiss or Spanish surely has absolutely nothing to do with ethnicity.

Are these not terms used to describe someone's nationality?

[Si Thea01]

"trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs"

By my calculations that is about 90 Baht.

Either he is a hopeless crim or the usual

standards of local journalism are at work.

Just left out one word, million, poor proof reading, not poor journalism, would be more like it. But then one can see the funny side of your post. Thanks for the sense of humour, wait am I wrong, it's not sarcasm is it?

[Si Thea01]

"for allegedly trying to extort 2.5 Swiss Francs (about Bt90 million) " Wow, wish the Aussie $ was that sort of exchange rate!

....still waiting to hear where Mr Najib got the USD700 million, that appeared in his bank account!!

Very rude of him not to tell you but apparently he found it under a very big rock. Happy now?

[Baerboxer]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

I agree, so I am wondering how the guy supposedly was: "Justo, a former PetroSaudi International executive"???

He looks about as Swiss as a $2.00 Rolex.

Try to extort money from Petro Corp, Why? maybe over what oil they are buying and who the money is going to?

Looks more middle eastern to me and the Tatoo's look the part for a former executive,/ more like a terrorist to me.

You can tell someones nationality by their appearance? You can tell a terrorist by their tattoos?

Wow! Do you have any more party tricks?

[devaram]

My take on this is He had proof that saudipetro was involved in the 1mdb transfer of 700billion into Najibs account and was tiring to mmake some money by keeping what he knew a secret he got caught because he failed to use encryption while using his computer in Thailand. He was trying to rob the worst robber in Southeast Asia and got caught by the second worst robber who is known to have advanced internet and phone spy software.

[thaiturkey]

This chap is irrelevant as far as smearing the Malaysian government. For the full lowdown on them, look at new mandala, article: the law in Malaysia is an ass., posted 14th July.

And we thought Thailand was bad!!!!

[Morakot]

Thai police say ex-PetroSaudi official admits to blackmail attempt

Reuter, Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:30am EDT

A Swiss national detained over allegations of attempted extortion involving a Saudi Arabia-based oil and gas company has admitted to committing blackmail, Thai police said on Thursday. Xavier Justo, a former executive of PetroSaudi International Ltd, was arrested on a Thai resort island last month following allegations by the company that he had demanded a payment in exchange for not disclosing confidential information.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/16/thailand-1mdb-arrests-idUSL4N0ZW34620150716

[Morakot]

Is Justo a 'hedonistic' blackmailer or 'kind' dad?

Malaysiakini

Two days after Umno-linked New Straits Times painted Xavier Andre Justo as a "hedonistic" and "greedy" man with a photograph of him covered in tatoos on its front page, Sarawak Report today sought to give another human face to him. Sarawak Report, which spoke to Justo's friends in Switzerland, said his family was distraught at the "terrible injustice" to make him a "scapegoat" over Malaysia's billion-dollar scandal and the "orchestrated" defamation against him.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303295

[Prbkk]

The furrowed brow speaks louder than the tatts.

[Tomtomtom69]

It is of Spanish origin, but Swiss.

Is that like a "Rachel Dolezal" thing? I mean, you can actually change your ethnicity nowadays? How cool, tomorrow i thought i would change my ethnicity to thai so i don't have to do visa-runs

If you meet the requirements, you can adopt Thai nationality while keeping your current ethnicity and even your current nationality(ies). Nothing particularly hard about it.

[Morakot]

Open Letter To The Swiss Foreign Ministry In Bern

Clare Rewcastle Brown | sarawakreport.org | 23 Jun 2015

I am a journalist based in the UK and run a website called Sarawak Report. I am concerned to learn of the situation regarding the welfare of a Swiss National, who has been arrested in Thailand on the basis of allegations brought by a Swiss and UK based company named PetroSaudi International, which alleges he is the whistleblower behind certain documents passed to myself and London’s Sunday Times newspaper. The documents relate to PetroSaudi International’s involvement in a multi-billion dollar fraud against the Malaysian public development fund 1MDB.

The Swiss national, Mr Xavier Justo, is claimed by PetroSaudi in its press release to be still detained after two days in a Bangkok prison. I strongly believe that this Swiss national is being made subject to revenge and harassment regarding a matter over which the Thai courts have no valid jurisdiction. I am concerned that corruption and or the misleading of the Thai authorities are behind this malicious arrest.

http://www./2015/06/open-letter-to-the-swiss-foreign-ministry-in-bern/

[Si Thea01]

Is Justo a 'hedonistic' blackmailer or 'kind' dad?

Malaysiakini

Two days after Umno-linked New Straits Times painted Xavier Andre Justo as a "hedonistic" and "greedy" man with a photograph of him covered in tatoos on its front page, Sarawak Report today sought to give another human face to him. Sarawak Report, which spoke to Justo's friends in Switzerland, said his family was distraught at the "terrible injustice" to make him a "scapegoat" over Malaysia's billion-dollar scandal and the "orchestrated" defamation against him.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303295

This ought to be interesting, we now have a farang scapegoat.

[anon7867763]

wow.....talk about stupid. Fun times in SE Asian prisons...

It's a well known fact: the more tattoo, the lower is IQ

Pathetic