Prime Suspect in Thailand’s Bitcoin Scam Arrested

By Chetna Phour

Thailand police arrested the prime suspect of a cryptocurrency scam worth 797 million baht.

In a recent Bitcoin scam in Thailand, the 22-year-old Finnish victim, Aarni Otava Saarimaa along with Thai businessman Chonnikan Kaewkasee, complained to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) in January about losing Bitcoins worth 797 million baht to Prinya and his group who had promised the investors to invest their funds in the shares of three firms including Chakris’ Expay Software Co, in June last year.

Saarimaa handed over more than 5,500 Bitcoins to the group which were to be used for multiple investments. Saarimaa and Kaewkasee did not receive the agreed number of shares so they refused to accept a much lower amount offered to them. Their Bitcoins were stolen and moved through multiple crypto wallets, and later converted to Thai Baht.

In the investigation, police found that Prinya’s group, including Prasit and Chakris, invited Saarimaa to invest 92.69 million baht in Expay Software Co, 440 million baht in Dragon Coin and 264.78 million baht in companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Saarimaa transferred money through Bitcoin to the electronic wallet of Prinya, but Prinya did not invest the money in agreed investment avenues. Instead of investing Prinya transferred most of the money to his family members’ accounts.

Recently the Thailand police arrested the prime suspect of the crime, Parinya Jaravijit. Parinya is the elder brother of the Thai actor, Jirapisit “Boom” Jaravijit at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Next day, Parinya was brought before the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court for his detention application. Parinya’s detention will last for the next 12 days, which means it will end on 23rd October. Parinya is the key suspect of the scam who is slammed with the charges of money laundering and fraud.

The lawyer of the suspect prepared assets worth Bt 20 million for Parinya’s release on bail but the Thai police rejected the offer of bail release because Parinya was absconding and his fraud caused extensive damage.

CSD deputy chief, Pol Colonel Chakrit Sawasdee said that the Immigration Police in the United States revoked Parinya’s Passport hence his entry is blocked that is why he has to come back to the country. However, Parinya maintains that he is innocent.