General surrenders over UFUN scheme

[Lite Beer]

General surrenders over UFUN scheme
THEERAPOL SUKKHUM
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- A RETIRED Army general, who police claim was a key figure in the alleged UFUN pyramid scheme, says he was deceived and is innocent after he and his wife turned themselves in to police yesterday.

Maj-General Athiwat Soonpan is confident he will get justice.

Athiwat, 67, and his wife Jirapimon, 60, yesterday presented themselves to Pol Lt-General Suwira Songmetta, the assistant national police chief leading the investigation, at Suvarnabhumi Airport after flying back from the United States.

The couple reportedly left the country on April 10. Jirapimon has also maintained her innocence.

Athiwat said Arthit Pankaew, another key suspect in the case, persuaded him to invest in UFUN but he declined to reveal how much he had invested.

He claimed he earned a monthly salary at the company in an advisory role.

He urged others wanted by police in the case to surrender.

Athiwat said he surrendered because he was confident he would be absolved.

He claimed he and his wife had gone to the US for their son's graduation and remained there until his job training was completed as previously planned before the investigation began.

He said the plane tickets were bought in February.

Despite Athiwat's assertion that he had no management power at the company, police argued that he did, claiming to have found out that he received more than Bt13.5 million through the company while he wife received more than Bt53 million.

They are facing charges including collaborating to borrow fraudulently from the public, conspiring in a ponzi scheme, conspiring to run an unauthorised electronic monetary business, entering faulty information into a computer and thus damaging other people and committing a transnational crime.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/General-surrenders-over-UFUN-scheme-30267745.html

-- The Nation 2015-08-30

[Charlie Croker]

Claims he received a monthly salary for an advisory position the police estimate to be around 67 million baht.

Just out of interest are there any other jobs of this kind of remuneration going? I am interested in applying.

I am keen to be 'duped' into accepting this sort of unfortunate payoff.

Poor guy. Lets hope he isn't a scapegoat- that would be NOFUN.

[ezzra]

says he was deceived and is innocent.....

Yes, he was deceived the poor fella... the only deceiving was done by him and his cohorts

bilking the public for billions and doing a runner.. throw the book at the swindler,,,,,,

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Retired army generally being successfully prosecuted for crimes in Thailand???

Who's kidding who? No wonder the guy and his wife voluntarily came back from the U.S.

[lujanit]

There is a lot of baht involved here. Plenty to grease the right hands. Being a retired Army General he will know the right hands, otherwise why would he come back?

[lildragon]

Tip of the ice Berg. Still thousands of generals with wealth way beyond what their salaries van explain.

[Fat Haggis]

A corrupt Army General ? Now who would have ever thought that possible?

[mark131v]

'Athiwat said he surrendered because he was confident he would be absolved'

Unfortunately I too am confident he will be absolved even though I have a sneaking suspicion he might be as guilty as sin....corruption, nepotism, cronyism in Thailand amongst the 'good people' surely not....

[elgordo38]

There is a lot of baht involved here. Plenty to grease the right hands. Being a retired Army General he will know the right hands, otherwise why would he come back?

He will no doubt know where all the skeletons are buried.

[Srikcir]

Athiwat and Jirapimon might have a better chance with the Thai judicial system, especially during a military occupation, than with the USA judicial system.

[BSJ]

Athiwat might be an old Frank Sinatra fan. Anyone hear him singing "I left my heart in San Francisco......with a suitcase full of MONEY" That's about the only singing he is likely to do.

[ratcatcher]

A corrupt Army General ? Now who would have ever thought that possible?

He looks "the very model of a modern Major - General"

[Bluespunk]

Claims he received a monthly salary for an advisory position the police estimate to be around 67 million baht.

Just out of interest are there any other jobs of this kind of remuneration going? I am interested in applying.

I am keen to be 'duped' into accepting this sort of unfortunate payoff.

Poor guy. Lets hope he isn't a scapegoat- that would be NOFUN.

Reserved occupation. Foreigners need not apply.