Thai police seek Interpol Red Notice for 'Ben Smith'

Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division police have asked Interpol to issue a Red Notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, for businessman Benjamin Mauerberger, also known as ‘Ben Smith’, who is wanted in Thailand on fraud and money laundering charges.

Pol Lt-Col Arthirat Thipcharoen, an inspector attached to the third subdivision of the CSD, said today that the South African businessman, who allegedly has extensive connections with the scam syndicates in Cambodia, fled Thailand last year and is now believed to be in the United Arab Emirates.

A Criminal Court in Thailand has issued warrants for the arrest of Mauerberger and his Thai wife after they allegedly duped a number of people into investing in his projects, including in real estate, energy and in the purchase of a private jet for leasing. The total losses allegedly suffered by his investors are estimated to amount to about one billion baht. He is also accused of laundering money for transnational scam syndicates in Cambodia.