US Navy veteran locked up in Thai prison, family pleas for help

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

Any family of any nationality is going to grasp at any possible straw to garner support from all possible quarters. We often see exactly that. The article also mentions that he's "a son, a husband, a father to two kids." Is that holey? 

 

But in the article the family isn't making a major point of his service.

 

No, the emphasis is made in the headline: US Navy veteran locked up in Thai prison, family pleas for help. That appears simply to be a spin by a website content writer for marketing purposes. As the writers around here are almost always Brits writing mainly for Brits (The Thaitiger uses British spelling)--who are the largest local audience--then the headline might be read partly designed to appeal to Brit biases (often negative), incidentally picking up some American interest & sympathy.

 

This is what you may be often seeing and mistakenly attributing to an American holier-than-thou attitude.

 

BTW, I agree w/ your point about his likely guilt. He may not have known every detail of the scheme, but he knew he was helping defraud people.

Just see it often in the news and really I wondered about the mindset of US people. But if it is like you explain then i must be mistaken. Maybe I am just a bit bias having watched the documentary 16 shots where a big deal was made about serving (this time police) too. (good documentary bad cover-up though the guy shot was certainly no angel). Must have clouded my view a bit.

 

As for his guilt, I just think that he should have known. 

[ChouDoufu]

12 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

There are a few things that do not ring true with this story. His wife got a job as a dance instructor at SHENZHEN DANCE ACADEMY. There is no Shenzhen Dance Academy. There are many dance companies and academies in Shenzhen but non are called Shenzen Dance Academy. He gave up his TRANSPORT COMPANY to work odd jobs in China. He had owned his own transport company and yet he did not know about the responsibilities of the ED of a company. He signed a contract without reading it. I would say that there are a lot of things that he or his family are not telling everybody about this. Is this another scam that is going to be run by his family to get money out of people with gullible soft hearts. Navy veteran means nothing as I am also a navy veteran who served in Vietnam.

chinese->english translations can be imaginative.  the school is probably known locally and/or in their english-language brochures as shenzhen dance academy.

 

ms. keller has two linkedin profiles listing her as "ballet headmistress" at "Sufei Art Education, Shenzhen, China. "   one is for tanya, the other for beverly.

 

their website:  http://www.szsufei.com/

[bkkcanuck8]

5 hours ago, tominbkk said:

He did not question this company making him pose as the ED?  And what was he actually saying as he 'acted'?  Sounds like a big swindle, and that he didn't know this was going to be perpetrated in Thailand?  Oops.

And that is where his credibility seems to be damaged.

- He was paid as basically an extra (no acting experience) $15,000 to do a bunch of videos where he 'pretended' to be an executive officer of a company to which he was not so that the company could gain credibility (run by a white person)... this just by itself already crossed the line into being a participant into the fraud.  

 

He cannot be released from custody for the simple fact that this was a major fraud operation with major backing, and not only was he a participant he is a witness to others in this fraud.  A fraud operation this size can easily help or make people disappear even without being handed back one's passport.

[Captain 776]

Sure sounds like there is much more to this story.

I have been here 14 yrs and just mind my business and try to never expose myself to anything that could go wrong and land me on the wrong side of the law here.

 

I used to go visit the only American inmate in Chiang Mai Prison, he was serving 6 yrs for a Marijuana charge and he was released in Oct 2018.

 

45 guys sleeping head to foot in a 10 meter X 10 meter cell with 2 ceiling fans, sleeping on concrete floor.

I wanted to get him a roll up pad to sleep on but its not allowed.

He said he was treated well, no one ever bothered him, not another inmate or guard.

With 5 degenerated discs and my moderate arthritis.....after just one night sleeping on a concrete floor, I would be in a wheelchair.

[ChouDoufu]

19 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

"Transport Company" means he was a truck driver in all liklihood.

the web never forgets.

 

derricks linkedin shows him as owner of "landshark trucking" in texas.

[Time Traveller]

5 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

I’ve heard that not uncommon for Chinese companies to hire westerners to play (as an actor) the role of a board member etc to improve image. Sounds like this crowd had him open a bank account too; that’s where he went wrong.

It's cute that you beleive that. Let me correct it for you:

it's not uncommon for Chinese companies scammers to hire westerners to play (as an actor) the role of a board member be the patsy etc to improve image for when their ponzi scheme falls apart. 

 

In any city in the world there's like a million hopefuls on the books of any casting agency. Why would any legitimate video production call upon random people with no experience to act for them unless it was a scam?

[ChouDoufu]

10 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

It's cute that you beleive that. Let me correct it for you:

it's not uncommon for Chinese companies scammers to hire westerners to play (as an actor) the role of a board member be the patsy etc to improve image for when their ponzi scheme falls apart. 

 

In any city in the world there's like a million hopefuls on the books of any casting agency. Why would any legitimate video production call upon random people with no experience to act for them unless it was a scam?

it's actually still fairly common.  chinese company wants to show their international side, so will hire random westerners as extras to stand around at expo displays or sit at a board table for a company video, or feature as 'customers' in brochures, or wander across a stage during some presentation.  good for a couple hundred bucks for a few hours.  never heard of anyone signing papers to legally be company officer, tho.

[pedro01]

The fact he was once in the Navy is irrelevant.

 

If he was registered as a director in the company - then he does have some legal responsibility. That comes with being a director.

 

I haven't seen any vids that Derrick was in - but this is one of Eagle Gates others:

 

 

 

Now - obviously - this is NOT CNN - the studio is set up to look like CNN and the graphics around the vid are lifted from CNN too.

 

Let's say you are an actor and you walk on this set. At what point do you realize you have been recruited by scammers? Should be immediate, right?

 

If this was the sort of video David was making, then he's complicit. 

[Pedrogaz]

One wonders why the family have not come to Thailand to visit him....surely between them they could scrape up the plane fare.

But he may have unwittingly been part of a Ponzi scheme, being the Western face of a corrupt company without knowing. Iy would be interesting to see the videos, to know what he actually said about the investment opportunity.

I do think the Thai police have acted appropriately here. If he was the face or spokesperson for the company he may well be part of the scam, we don't know. Sadly Thai prisons are not very nice and Thai justice seems to proceed at a crawl. 

What he needs is money to buy off the guards, get better accommodation and better food. I would have hoped his family are providing funds, but given that he sleeps in a cell with 50 people and has lost 30kg, I don't think they are....what is wrong with them? All this weepy stuff on TV and they are letting the guy rot in prison without giving him the funds he needs ti survive.

The fact that he is a Navy Vet is totally irrelevant. Navy vets can be criminals as well.

Finally, the US embassy are very good at protecting their citizens. They must have been involved on the case and have visited to guy in prison...if they lodged a complaint, they were probably shown some of the evidence. The Embassy deciding not to act (or not to act publicly) is a bad sign. Another bad sign is that Eagle was 10 people 8 farangs and two Asians. Why was this guy special recruited when they had many other farina's that could have been the face?

Midnight Express anyone?

[JeffinChonburi]

This guys family can wine and complain all they want. The videos he was in clearly shows him as a con man. If he thought this was anything other than a con, then he deserves to be locked up for be that stupid. 

His face is all over the internet as the CEO of this ponzi scheme, and his interview clearly makes him guilty.

https://behindmlm.com/companies/eagle-gates-group-ceo-eddy-mcclough-arrested-claims-hes-an-actor/

 

[natway09]

He has still not been convicted yet. Maybe he will get extradited to Singapore

It is a reminder,,,,,, be careful the company you keep & remember if it looks too good to be true it probably is

[Matzzon]

2 minutes ago, natway09 said:

He has still not been convicted yet. Maybe he will get extradited to Singapore

It is a reminder,,,,,, be careful the company you keep & remember if it looks too good to be true it probably is

In short: be aware of to much whipping cream.

[Scouse123]

6 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Why is he facing trial in Thailand rather than Singapore ?

 

I think it is because Thailand is where the money was swindled.

 

5 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Something is fishy here. 

You don't get sent to Klong Prem before sentence. 

 

Klong Prem does have a remand prison at the side of it, but it is on the giant compound of Klong Prem.

 

5 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

Don't they give you one phone call in Thai prisons/jails? Maybe KP doesn't have any phones.

 

You must get special permission for calls abroad, usually for important matters such as family bereavement, and these are requested by the Embassies. There are no call boxes in the prison, otherwise, the Thais would be running their businesses from jail. Why do you think there are vast amounts of mobile phones smuggled in.

 

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

Very strange that this man is being treated very differently to the hundreds of ATM thieves and the many cold calling, boiler rooms fraudsters who got caught over the years and who fleeced many millions of Thais and foreigners, those people are usually been sent back to their respective countries after a deal worked out, so why this guy is different?...

 

The Thai police are in on all the boiler room scams!  They were probably cut out of this one and were unhappy about it?

 

Give unto Caesar, what is Caesars's etc and all that jazz.

[Pedrogaz]

2 hours ago, lust said:

Did you have a vagina before you came to Thailand? Or was it acquired after?

Nt everyone is a fan of the military especially when they are not defending the country but invading other places.

[Zikomat]

I hate blaming ppl until there is a solid proof...but that ‘actor’ part sounds like a lot of BS. Former Navy veteran, then the owner of a trucking company suddenly becomes an ‘actor’. Many fraudsters would love to call themselves just innocent ‘actors’ in other people’s schemes upon being caught. Even if the American was so stupid and really did no think a lot about what he is involved in - still I don’t see him released any time soon. He did take part in the fraud. 

[Thaidream]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Simple explanation is that there is more to the story than being told.

Far as I know, in the USA, if one takes part in a crime and a partner shoots and kills someone, even though one never used a gun in the commission of the crime, one is as guilty as the one that fired.

So by taking part in the scam, he is as guilty as the ones that actually did it.

Tell me if I'm wrong.

Technically you are correct.  However, if one is duped into an action that results in a crime and one had no knowledge that a crime is being committed- these are mitigating circumstances.  A jury in the Us may acquit such an individual.  there are no juries in Thailand .

 

I believe his story- He is definitely naive but some people simply do not understand the implications of what they are asked to do and  are lied to very convincingly.  

 

This man needs a very good Thai lawyer and that is going to cost big money.

[Razek]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

for something his family says he didn’t do.

Another innocent mercenary.

I have done this. Please free him

He is americain citizen . He is over the law. They did what they want and they will be freed because they are americain citizen and americain citizen did no bad thing 

[Time Traveller]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

it's actually still fairly common.  chinese company wants to show their international side, so will hire random westerners as extras to stand around at expo displays or sit at a board table for a company video, or feature as 'customers' in brochures, or wander across a stage during some presentation.  good for a couple hundred bucks for a few hours.  never heard of anyone signing papers to legally be company officer, tho.

being an extra is a lot different from being promoted as an executive of the company. Any idiot knows what fraud is. 

[Time Traveller]

6 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Technically you are correct.  However, if one is duped into an action that results in a crime and one had no knowledge that a crime is being committed- these are mitigating circumstances.  A jury in the Us may acquit such an individual.  there are no juries in Thailand .

 

I believe his story- He is definitely naive but some people simply do not understand the implications of what they are asked to do and  are lied to very convincingly.  

 

This man needs a very good Thai lawyer and that is going to cost big money.

oh yeah. Just like the drug smuggler didn't know the drugs were in the luggage.

Are American Navy vets really that stupid?

[Razek]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

for something his family says he didn’t do.

Another innocent mercenary.

I have done this. Please free him

He is americain citizen . He is over the law. They did what they want and they will be freed because they are americain citizen and americain citizen did no bad thing 

[Razek]

He is a son, a husband, a father to two kids and a Navy veteran.

I want cry . 

Crooks crooks crooks

Keller is Germain origine not english

If he is SWAP he will get out . But he is not

Suprimacy whight anglosaxon protestant

He is only whight germain catholic

Thailand is not North corea

[Thaidream]

1 minute ago, Razek said:

nother innocent mercenary.

I have done this. Please free him

He is americain citizen . He is over the law. They did what they want and they will be freed because they are americain citizen and americain citizen did no bad thing

His family is rightly concerned and they are supporting him. No one is suggesting that his Nationality has a get out of jail card attached to it.

 

 

 

[sandrabbit]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

the web never forgets.

 

derricks linkedin shows him as owner of "landshark trucking" in texas.

There are a number of landshark trucking companies in Texas with 1 truck and 1 driver.

 

1 hour ago, Time Traveller said:

It's cute that you beleive that. Let me correct it for you:

it's not uncommon for Chinese companies scammers to hire westerners to play (as an actor) the role of a board member be the patsy etc to improve image for when their ponzi scheme falls apart. 

Against forum rules to edit other peoples posts.

[Razek]

2 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

His family is rightly concerned and they are supporting him. No one is suggesting that his Nationality has a get out of jail card attached to it.

 

 

 

 

Every criminal is innocent for his family.

This is Thailand not North corea if he is innocent he will get out but he is guilty

[Thaidream]

17 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

oh yeah. Just like the drug smuggler didn't know the drugs were in the luggage.

Are American Navy vets really that stupid?

It has nothing to do with he being a Navy veteran and everything to do with coming from small town USA where most people are honest and think everyone else is the same.

I can easily believe his story and that he was duped.  There has been no proof presented that he was a willing participant.

 

If these people were clever enough to dupe millions from some wealthy Thais, it is certainty possible they were clever enough to have fooled this man.

 

 

 

 

[Thaidream]

9 minutes ago, Razek said:

This is Thailand not North corea if he is innocent he will get out but he is guilty

And I assume you have access to the complete case file- have interviewed all the participants to include the person being held in jail. In addition- you have spoken to the Thai Prosecutor and studied the Thai Law which he is changed with violating.

 

All people have a presumption of innocence until proven guilty.  I have seen no guilty plea nor any conviction and neither have you.

 

[zhounan]

Why a Country like this should be part of O.N.U., why Foreign Countries agree millions of their citizens every year come in Thailand to spend their own money? What is the treatment of Thais in foreign countries? 

Recently, in Milan, Italy, a group of Thais was caught selling drugs outside disco and pubs, they spend only 1 months in a prison with TV, computer, swimming pool, soccer, library. 

[brianj1964]

its not the same guy

[ttrd]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

Very strange that this man is being treated very differently to the hundreds of ATM thieves and the many cold calling, boiler rooms fraudsters who got caught over the years and who fleeced many millions of Thais and foreigners, those people are usually been sent back to their respective countries after a deal worked out, so why this guy is different?...

It may have something to do with the size of the Money lost and if someone of the persons scammed have the right connections ...

[brianj1964]

1 hour ago, JeffinChonburi said:

This guys family can wine and complain all they want. The videos he was in clearly shows him as a con man. If he thought this was anything other than a con, then he deserves to be locked up for be that stupid. 

His face is all over the internet as the CEO of this ponzi scheme, and his interview clearly makes him guilty.

https://behindmlm.com/companies/eagle-gates-group-ceo-eddy-mcclough-arrested-claims-hes-an-actor/

 

Did you actually read the link you posted? Clearly not, read the undelined piece, it says it's not Keeler