Politician among 17 charged in UFUN pyramid scam

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Politician among 17 charged in UFUN pyramid scam

The Nation

BANGKOk:-- Police yesterday filed charges in the public fraud case based on UFUN’s alleged pyramid scheme against another 17 suspects. They included a former member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, Sirichok Siriwannapa.

The cases were referred to the Office of the Attorney-General's Criminal Case director-general Natthajak Patamasingh na Ayudhya, for consideration for indictment.

A previous batch of 30 UFUN suspects had already been indicted. Yesterday, assistant national police chief Pol Lt-General Suwira Songmetta and investigators took Sirichok and others to the Attorney-General's office on Bangkok's Ratchadaphisek Road to file the case report with Natthajak and suggest indictments.

The 17 suspects face loan and public fraud charges, punishable by 5-10 years in jail and/or Bt500,000-Bt1 million in fine; and a transnational criminal organisation offence, punishable by 4-15 years in prison and/or Bt80,000-Bt300,000 in fines, among other related charges.

Suwira revealed police found some suspects had set up a similar business scheme in a neighbouring country and authorities there had been alerted. So far, police had information about the whereabouts of 27 fugitives and were proceeding with their extradition, he added.

UFUN's alleged pyramid case had arrest warrants issued for 164 suspects - four of whom were legal entities - and so far 94 suspects had been arrested.

Natthajak warned people who seek payments by making faulty claims to help suspects get away in this case face serious punishment.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Politician-among-17-charged-in-UFUN-pyramid-scam-30275561.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-24