Actor’s family put under police microscope in high-profile money-laundering probe

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Actor’s family put under police microscope in high-profile money-laundering probe

By THE NATION

 

 

THE PARENTS of actor Jiratpisit Jaravijit, a suspect in a fraud and money-laundering case, may be joining their famous son in hot water over a Bt800 million bitcoin scam, as police consider applying for their arrest warrants over money-laundering charges.
 

Crime Suppression Division (CSD) commander Pol Maj-General Maitree Chimcherd said yesterday that police were convinced of the parents’ alleged roles by money transaction documents the authorities found during a search of their house this week. 

 

Another five to six relatives and friends of the actor, who are believed to have received and forwarded the alleged ill-gotten money, would also face arrest warrants soon, Maitree said.

 

Maitree said the actor's elder sister, Suphitcha Jaravijit, 32, who had earlier yesterday morning surrendered to police at CSD head office in Bangkok, also made an admission to police dur?ing the seven-hour-long interrogation. 

 

Suphitcha was accused of co-operating with her family members in laundering money, which was allegedly obtained through cheating a Finnish man, Aarni Otava Saarimaa, out of bitcoin worth nearly Bt800 million. 

 

Maitree said Suphitcha, who was interviewed by police in the presence of her lawyer, hadadmitted to receiving money deposits on multiple occasions from her elder brother, Parinya Jaravijit, 35, who is also a suspect in the case and remains at large. Maitree said Suphitcha tearfully claimed she did not know the origin of the money and had nothing to do with the fraud. She said she just received the money deposits and withdrew an exact sum to wire to other accounts as per Parinya's instructions. 

 

She told police that Parinya also told her to use the cash to buy and resell properties and put the earnings into his bank account. 

 

She said she had not joined in the investment scheme, nor invited anyone to join it, Maitree said.

 

As Suphitcha was escorted at 2.30pm to apply for a criminal court’s approval for her first 12-day detention period, she did not respond to reporter’s questions outside the CSD building.

 

Her lawyer briefly said that his client denied any wrongdoing and that he would apply for her bail release with a surety worth Bt2 million. 

 

It was reported that police objected to Suphitcha being granted bail on the grounds that the case involved high-value damages and had attracted much public attention.

 

Jiratpisit, 27, who was granted a Bt2 million bail for temporary release, insisted on his innocence when talking to police investigators after his arrest on August 8. 

 

He claimed his bank account had been used by Parinya, whom police allege had opened several companies in Thailand and Hong Kong in connection with the case. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30352236

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-16

[rkidlad]

I remember selling my car when I was about 22 years old. I sold it for 2000 pounds and went to the bank to deposit the money. The teller asked where the money came from. I told her and she accepted it. 2000 pounds was about 100k baht at the time. I wonder what would have happened if I had tried to deposit the amount the sister received and said “my brother gave it to me. He wants me to transfer it to other accounts later on. He didn’t say why and didn’t ask”. 

 

Thailand - where being rich and using ignorance are excuses for breaking the law. 

[z42]

This is stupid, so she admitted to being a part of moving money and buying houses for her brother who could not say where the money came from, yet her lawyer is saying she has done nothing wrong.

The bail system in Thailand is utterly ridiculous, she should be in jail, as the others who were involved in this enormous scam should be, once this story fades into obscurity the wrists will be very lightly slapped and the ill gotten money carved up for god knows who. Dreadful form again

[Esso49]

37 minutes ago, z42 said:

This is stupid, so she admitted to being a part of moving money and buying houses for her brother who could not say where the money came from, yet her lawyer is saying she has done nothing wrong.

The bail system in Thailand is utterly ridiculous, she should be in jail, as the others who were involved in this enormous scam should be, once this story fades into obscurity the wrists will be very lightly slapped and the ill gotten money carved up for god knows who. Dreadful form again

Well if you follow that 2nd para's logic through to its conclusion,  then the entire administration and supporters should likewise be in jail.  Its Thailand, there is no fair and honest justice system, only one where money can buy absolutely anything and get you off anything from petty crime charges to murder.

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

“my brother gave it to me. He wants me to transfer it to other accounts later on. He didn’t say why and didn’t ask”. 

 

Thailand - where being rich and using ignorance are excuses for breaking the law. 

"I borrowed it from a dead friend." - just quoting an infamous player of the system.

[Destiny1990]

Why did the Finnish guy send all that money ( bitcoins) to that Thai family in the first place? Without any securities?

[worgeordie]

When did the Police get microscopes ?

regards worgeordie

[hotchilli]

She said she just received the money deposits and withdrew an exact sum to wire to other accounts as per Parinya's instructions. 

 

She told police that Parinya also told her to use the cash to buy and resell properties and put the earnings into his bank account. 

 

There's a contradiction right there!!

[seajae]

its the old thai adage, if you dont know or dont look then you are not at fault. How many times do we see bikes come out of side streets etc without looking, that way if they are hit by a car they think it is not their fault, same with money, if they dont ask where it came from or why they are doing it, they are innocent. Sounds like the whole family is corrupt, just lock them all up

[happy chappie]

Try and draw out over £10,000 cash in the uk and alarm bells start ringing.

[nahkit]

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why did the Finnish guy send all that money ( bitcoins) to that Thai family in the first place? Without any securities?

The money from the bitcoins was supposed to be invested it Thai stocks, a casino in Macau and a new crypto-currency called Dragon Coin which was specifically to be used in casinos. A report I read said that he met with them and was taken to Macau to view the casino he thought he was buying into so it's not like he just transferred the coins to a bunch of strangers he'd never met.

[Destiny1990]

5 minutes ago, nahkit said:

The money from the bitcoins was supposed to be invested it Thai stocks, a casino in Macau and a new crypto-currency called Dragon Coin which was specifically to be used in casinos. A report I read said that he met with them and was taken to Macau to view the casino he thought he was buying into so it's not like he just transferred the coins to a bunch of strangers he'd never met.

Still a very foolish and weird transaction.

[sammieuk1]

What magnification the microscope is on is entirely dependant on the thickness of the wad?  

[Vacuum]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

When did the Police get microscopes ?

regards worgeordie

Since the envelopes started disappearing?