Civil Court orders seizure of Bt13bn linked to scam network

The Civil Court has ordered the temporary seizure of assets worth about 13 billion baht from three alleged scam bosses operating in Cambodia, one international “fixer”, and two female Thai associates.

Wittaya Nititham, assistant secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), told the media today that the court’s order followed AMLO’s request to prevent the allegedly ill-gotten assets in Thailand — currently impounded by AMLO — from being illegally transferred, sold, or moved.

The assets are linked to cases under investigation by AMLO.

The first case implicates alleged Cambodian scam boss Yim Leak, his Thai wife Wirinya, a woman known as “Taengthai”, and Benjamin Mauerberger, also known as “Ben Smith”.

Their combined assets are estimated to be worth about 12.1 billion baht.

The second case involves Chinese-born international scam boss Chen Zhi of Prince Holding Group in Cambodia and his associates.

Their assets in Thailand are estimated at about 345 million baht. Chen Zhi is currently incarcerated in China after the Cambodian government deported him under pressure from Beijing.

The third case concerns another alleged Cambodian scam boss, Kok An, and his associates. Their assets are estimated to be worth about 560 million baht.

A fourth case involves Uah-angkoon and his associates, whose assets are estimated at about 46 million baht.