Thai politician Samart arrested over iCon Group fraud case

Thai politician Samart Janechaijittawanich, second right, brings fraud victims to file complaints at the Anti-Money Laundering Office in Bangkok in 2017. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Thai lawmaker Samart Janechaijittawanich, next straight, brings fraud victims to file complaints at the Anti-Money Laundering Office in Bangkok in 2017. ( Bangkok Post file photo )

After being wanted for allegedly laundering money laundering in connection with the image Group fraud case, police in Chiang Rai’s northernmost province on Monday detained politician Samart Janechaittawanich.

After his mother’s Monday night incarceration, Wilawan Phutthasamrit was apprehended at her home in Bangkok, the arrest took place at noon on Monday.

Director-general of the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI) Yutthana Praedam claimed that Mr. Samart had appeared to be rushing out of his Bangkok residence because police had discovered that the house’s air conditioning was still working.

According to officials, Mr. Samart had a mother’s bank accounts and received 3 million baht from The logo Group executives. Of the total, 2.5 million ringgit was from The image Group chief executive Warathaphon Waratyaworrakul, the DSI chief said.

Members of The symbol Group, which has been charged with alleged&nbsp, people fraud, raised money to fund the campaign. According to the DSI chief, the symbol Group subsequently transferred the funds to Boss Paul, who later gave the money to Mr. Samart’s mother.

” For a period, six-digit portions were transferred regular from the prosecuted business”, Pol Maj Yutthna said.

According to the DSI commander, Mr. Samart was detained by Provincial Police Region 5 officers and would be taken to Bangkok on Monday night for further questioning.

He also said that Ms Wilawan, Mr Samart’s family, had received about 100 million baht in full from numerous sources – including the 2.5 million ringgit from Boss Paul, The image Group CEO.

According to Pol Maj Yutthana, who refers to the suspect known as Boss Peter, Ms. Wilawan also received 500, 000 ringgit in full from another believe in The image Group. According to the DSI captain, the money was transferred in modest increments over a predetermined amount.

The imprisonment of Mr. Samart, 41, a former assistant spokesman of the Palang Pracharath Party, was ordered by the Criminal Court on Sunday.

Following the release of an audio tape purportedly featuring a discussion between the CEO and founder of The image Group and a non-MP House council representative who offered to help clear a problem for money, Mr. Samart became embroiled in the The symbol Group scandal.