A 52-year-old Thai woman was arrested at Hat Yai Airport for her involvement in Thailand’s largest romance scam, led by a Nigerian syndicateShe faces multiple charges, including identity fraud and money laundering, after being linked to a scam that defrauded a multinational company of 6.3 billion bahtNearly 100 individuals have been implicated in the case, with authorities continuing efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects
A 52-year-old Thai woman, suspected of involvement in Thailand’s biggest romance scam, was arrested at Hat Yai Airport on February 1.
According to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), the woman, identified as Orathai (surname withheld), was detained upon arrival from Malaysia.
Thai Lady Arrested for Helping Yahoo Boys Scam Over 90 Billion Naira, Details Emerge
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She was wanted on an arrest warrant for her alleged role in aiding a Nigerian-led romance scam syndicate.
Charges and scam details
Orathai faces multiple charges, including being a member of a secret society, involvement in a criminal organization, participation in transnational crime, identity fraud, and money laundering.
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Her alleged connection to the 2022 scam, which is considered Thailand’s most expensive romance scam, led to the issuance of the warrant.
The case involved a transnational gang that used a fake LinkedIn profile of a U.S. Army doctor in Afghanistan to deceive the chief financial officer of a multinational company’s Thai branch, siphoning 6.3 billion baht (approximately USD 86 million) from the company.
Arrest and investigation
The Thai CFO was arrested and charged with theft, while nearly 100 individuals, both Thai and Nigerian nationals, have been implicated. Authorities continue their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects.
According to the CIB, Orathai admitted to being the person named in the warrant when confronted by officers. She claimed that her Nigerian partner had asked her to open bank accounts in Thailand on his behalf, believing they were meant for business purposes.
Financial links and arrest
Orathai stated that she opened multiple bank accounts, which her partner managed for deposits and withdrawals.
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However, investigators found financial links between her accounts and fraudulent fund transfers, leading to her arrest. She reportedly met her Nigerian partner in Malaysia in 2017 while working at a massage shop. After two years of living together, he allegedly convinced her to open bank accounts for him.
Woman shares experience with Yahoo boys
Henzodaily.ng reported that an unidentified American woman has shared her harrowing experience of being duped by two Nigerian internet fraudsters, commonly known as “Yahoo boys,” in romance scams.
Despite her heartbreaking encounters, the over 50-year-old woman expressed her admiration for Nigerian men, describing them as the “most handsome men on this planet.”
In a viral video on Sunday, the woman recounted how she met one of the scammers in 2020 on TikTok.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng