Police arrest close aide of former abbot accused of embezzling money from temple

A former friar close to Wat Rai Khing’s variant priest, who was accused of defrauding temple funds to use online gambling, was detained on Friday in Nakhon Pathom.

Ekkapot Phukhang and former Phra Maha Ekkapot Phukhang were apprehended by officers in the Nakhon Pathom Lotus shopping mall late on Friday night.

On the day of the arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on January 29, Mr. Ekkapot, a near friend of former priest Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat of Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom, was wanted for allegedly engaging in online gambling, persuading others, either directly or indirectly, and laundered money. &nbsp,

The believe and Aranyawan Wangthapan, a female agent connected to an online gaming community, were simultaneously issued with the arrest permits. The original Wat Rai Khing abbot’s close friend, Ms. Aranyawan, was detained on Thursday.

According to the officers, Mr. Ekkapot had transferred funds from the temple to Ms. Aranyawan’s bank accounts, which led to his involvement in the temple fund embezzlement.

Previous priest of the renowned Buddhist temple Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, 70, was formally expelled from the monastery on Thursday evening after being accused of allegedly stealing 300 million baht from the temple. On Thursday, he turned himself in to the authorities. &nbsp,

Eventually, the arresting group transported Mr. Ekkapot to the Royal Police Cadet Academy in Samphran, in this central state, for questioning.

The suspect was questioned by the deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau ( CIB ), Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew.

Mr. Ekkapot informed the CIB assistant main that Yaem Inkhungkao, the variant abbot’s public name, had asked him to deposit money from the temple to ATMs before having it later transferred to Ms. Aranyawan’s bank account to play online games.

Additionally, authorities interrogated CPO1 Chatmee Inmee, a former soldier close to the bishop, and Phra Khru Palad Suwattanawimonkhun, Wat Rai Khing’s associate priest, and his family. Government discovered that almost all of the temple’s automobiles were registered under the name CPO1 Chatmee. &nbsp,

No one was charged, though.