American actor NOT GUILTY, freed from Thai prison
A U.S. actor who spent a year in a Thai prison is still struggling to find his way back to Texas. Derrick Keller was found not guilty after he faced more than two decades in prison. Keller was accused of being part of an alleged Ponzi scheme.
Despite his not guilty verdict, Keller told his wife that he is being detained until he’s deported.
Derrick Keller says he has court documents that state he has the right to be in Thailand without a visa due to his court case. He says they are not allowing him to pay a fine and bailout until Monday.
Keller says he was also not allowed to have his lawyers present and no one from the U.S. Embassy accompanied him.
US Actor Derrick Keller Arrested in Bangkok
In August 2018, Keller was arrested in Bangkok airport. He and his wife, Tanya, had just arrived in Thailand for vacation.
Thai media reported his arrest and claimed he was the mastermind of a Ponzi scheme which defrauded investors of millions of dollars.
The US actor said he was only an actor for the company. He started to incorporate videos that were made well before the company was under investigation.
Tanya Keller spent much of the past year trying to prove her husband’s innocence. Reaching out to U.S. politicians for help. Her list included even President Donald Trump
Tanya Keller said the politicians she heard back from said there wasn’t much they could do.
“They just won’t listen, and I don’t understand,” said Tanya during an August interview. “I do not understand why.”
The US actor’s wife then reached out to KHOU, hoping media attention could help Derrick’s case gain momentum; however, they still prepared for the worst.
US Actor’s First Meal after a Year in Prison
“Thailand has a 95 percent conviction rate so it’s highly unlikely that he will get anything less than a guilty,” said Tanya in a previous interview.
On Monday, the family learned that Keller beat the odds. A lone judge found the actor innocent and he was released.
Family friends took him to their Thailand home and shared a picture of Keller eating his first full meal as a free man; steak, onion rings, and a beer. Keller is noticeably thinner, losing more than 70 pounds during his incarceration.
Keller’s family say on Monday, he slept in a real bed for the first time in 13 months.
The US Actor’s Case Was Aired by US Media
