Motorcycle star pleads not guilty to money laundering

[snoop1130]

Motorcycle star pleads not guilty to money laundering

By Kesinee Taengkhieo 
The Nation

 

 

Motorcycle racing star Akarakit “Benz Racing” Worarojcharoendet and two others pleaded not guilty on Monday in a high-profile money-laundering case heard at Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Criminal Court.

 

The court judge set a total of 14 sessions – from July 3-25, 2018 – to hear testimony from the prosecutors’ 20 witnesses and the defendants’ 17 witnesses. 

 

Akarakit, 30, Sansern Rasanont, 25, and Angsuporn Inna, 29, were presented to court as they were indicted for the alleged laundering of drug money and conspiring with suspect Nattapon Nakkham, 31, and others to launder money on behalf of alleged Lao drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpa, 42. 

 

Akarakit’s actress wife, Napapa “Patt” Tantrakul, was also in court, along with their five-month-old baby boy and relatives, to give moral support. The couple both had tears in their eyes as they looked at each across the courtroom. 

 

It was the first time Akarakit had been seen by his whole family since his May 26 bail application was rejected and he was taken directly into detention. 

 

Sansern and Angsuporn, who is pregnant, have also been in detention and met with their relatives in court on Monday.

 

It is alleged that the trio opened bank accounts to keep and to wire to others drug money totalling Bt11 million as per Natthapon’s orders on 53 occasions. Akarakit is also alleged to have used money from Natthapon to buy a Lamborghini and some expensive motorbikes. 

 

In another courtroom at the same time, Natthapon pleaded not guilty to money-laundering and drug-trafficking charges during the first evidence-reviewing session of his case. 

 

The judge granted the postponement of an evidence-reviewing session to October 2 as per the prosecutors’ request, because they wish to bring another suspect, Thepprasit Toyaem into the case. Thepprasit had been arrested and would be indicted on August 17, the court heard.

 

Napapa – who prosecutors had last week spared from indictment in the current money-laundering case – also appeared in court early on Monday morning to report for the conclusion of her final detention period. A smiling Napapa told reporters she had thanked the court and public prosecutors for their mercy. 

 

The 30-year-old actress said she would request the return of the Bt500,000 she deposited as bail. 

 

Napapa had been named as the fifth suspect in the Narcotics Suppression Bureau investigation, but prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to implicate her. They said the 18 financial transactions made from April 2016 to February, in which Akarakit wired funds to Napapa’s account, were in amounts that could be regarded as a husband simply taking care of his wife.

 

The actress’s lawyer said it was up to the national police chief to accept or reject the decision not to indict her in line with due process.

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-8-7

[thaiguzzi]

Ah, that's nice. Handcuffs are covered up with a towel. Lovely.

[Cadbury]

Alleged money crim Akarakit “Benz Racing” seems to be mixing in friendly company namely Thai law and police officials.

[worgeordie]

He looks so innocent,surely he could not have done anything illegal , well they took pity on his wife.

regards worgeordie

[Nord X]

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Motorcycle racing star Akarakit “Benz Racing” Worarojcharoendet

Motorcycle racing star? He's no motorcycle racing star.

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Akarakit’s actress wife, Napapa “Patt” Tantrakul, was also in court, along with their five-month-old baby boy and relatives, to give moral support. The couple both had tears in their eyes as they looked at each across the courtroom. 

She didn't look to unhappy the other day.

 

[janclaes47]

6 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Pretty boy. He'll be a favourite in the cells.

 

His ar*e will be like a burst balloon when he gets out of the big house. 

You watch too many movies

[janclaes47]

Just now, Father Fintan Stack said:

Spent time in jail mate.

Great, something to be proud about.

 

Were you Jean or Jane?

[Nord X]

29 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Great, something to be proud about.

He didn't say he was proud of the fact, he simply stated that was where he gained his insight for which he made comment, the comment that you inferred was simply fantasy and a thought derived from watching too many movies.

[Get Real]

4 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

You watch too many movies

Yep, and you might consider looking at reality once in a while.....

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Pretty boy. He'll be a favourite in the cells.

 

His ar*e will be like a burst balloon when he gets out of the big house. 

 

Don't know if he will be able to race afterwards with a modified exhaust.

 

 

[Thian]

1 hour ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

 

Don't know if he will be able to race afterwards with a modified exhaust.

 

 

Open pipes are best for racingbikes...you can ask any Somchai if you don't believe it.

[BasalBanality]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

Open pipes are best for racingbikes...you can ask any Somchai if you don't believe it.

Engage in exhaust back pressure subtleties discourse with Somchai-street-racer?

 

I'd rather watch grass grow.

Edited August 8, 2017 by BasalBanality

[janclaes47]

4 hours ago, Get Real said:

Yep, and you might consider looking at reality once in a while.....

 

Another one that speaks from personal experience?

 

Since even in the movies it only happens hidden from the view of other inmates, those who know the "reality" must have been involved in such events, I only wonder which side of the playfield they were on

[happyas]

4 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Another one that speaks from personal experience?

 

Since even in the movies it only happens hidden from the view of other inmates, those who know the "reality" must have been involved in such events, I only wonder which side of the playfield they were on

 Very, very rare for man rape to occur in Thai jails, but apparently quite common in many other counties around the world.

[colinneil]

12 minutes ago, happyas said:

 Very, very rare for man rape to occur in Thai jails, but apparently quite common in many other counties around the world.

even took a time out from wallowing in self pity, to tell you, that once again you do not know what you are talking about.

Have you experienced the inside of a Thai prison??? If the answer is yes, your comment is valid, if no, well i have already said it.

Edited August 8, 2017 by colinneil

[starky]

18 minutes ago, colinneil said:

even took a time out from wallowing in self pity, to tell you, that once again you do not know what you are talking about.

Have you experienced the inside of a Thai prison??? If the answer is yes, your comment is valid, if no, well i have already said it.

I think the point is mate there seems to be some Thaivisa fantasy from a lot of posters that everyone that does a bit of boob gets raped in the nick. Yes it does happen generally to stand over someone but not at the levels that posters on here seem to think. Especially now, prison is a whole lot different than it used to be. Before you ask, yeah, I did my bit. Also done remand and lock up in Thai theres no one getting "their arse like a burst balloon" or the other tripe some would have you believe.

[Get Real]

2 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Another one that speaks from personal experience?

 

Since even in the movies it only happens hidden from the view of other inmates, those who know the "reality" must have been involved in such events, I only wonder which side of the playfield they were on

Try prison guard!

[happyas]

10 hours ago, colinneil said:

even took a time out from wallowing in self pity, to tell you, that once again you do not know what you are talking about.

Have you experienced the inside of a Thai prison??? If the answer is yes, your comment is valid, if no, well i have already said it.

 No mate, i'm too smart to have ever done time, so i can't give 1st hand reports.

 But, 

 A mate was in Klong Prem for 5 years, now some 10 years ago and i visited him frequently.

He was never, raped, and never heard of anyone raped in 5 years there! Consensual sex is freely available with lady boys etc.

Nasty mind  games, deprivation of senses, torture, all sorts of things that make it one of the nastiest jails around, but no rape!!

 

Take a look at a couple of many available that will confirm as i have said.

One post at  from below thread;

 

"After spending only a year in Bangkoks finnest, I decieded not to transfer back to USA when I had the oppertunity

Thai prisons are a much better alternative, no rapes, little violence and you need not be a "skinHead" "Black" "Hells Angle" or "Hispanic" to survive... to me there was no question, Thai prison is a far safer place,"

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/556850-what-its-like-in-thailands-deadliest-prison/?do=findComment&comment=5321719

 

 

Quote from article below;    "regular urine testing ensured that drug use was minimal, at least in the section we were in, while violence is rare and rape absolutely unheard of. The only thing that prisoners have to fear is disease – if someone in a cell contracts something it will inevitably spread to all the other occupants."

 

Life behind bars in Bangkok's notorious Klong Prem prison

 

Life behind bars in Bangkok's notorious Klong Prem prison Journalist and Muay Thai enthusiast James Goyder got a glimpse inside a notorious jail when he participated in...

 

Live and learn mate, you are wrong again;

 

Just to qualify my statement once to you about your "wallowing in self pity"

 

Maybe you just need a bit of tough love;

Let me explain

My older brother was also in a no fault of his bike crash and consequently made paraplegic in 1972, aged 22 years.

It did take him a year or so to get motivated [and admittedly only after i and other family and friends gave him the tough love] and realise the harsh reality that  life as he knew it was gone, and best to tackle his new situation as best he could.

He soon was playing chair basketball, chair racing, etc etc and still getting to the pub and drinking and pool playing and partying as he used to do.

I never once heard him complain, to anyone, let alone wallowing in self pity, in fact quite the opposite..and in fact if anyone even appeared a bit sympathetic he would fire up at them.

He lived, chairbound for near 40 years ,only passing 6 years ago after getting ill and pneumonia took him.

He was a man!

Edited August 8, 2017 by happyas