Entertainment celebrity Savika Chaiyadej, aka “Pinky”, and her mother Sarinya were among 19 people indicted on criminal charges today (Thursday) by public prosecutors, for allegedly defrauding the public and violations of Computer Crime Act, in a foreign exchange futures investment scam, known as Forex-3D.
The two accused posted land titles deeds as surety for their bail applications, but the court rejected their request for fear that they may try to flee. After the hearing, they were escorted to a prison to be held on remand.
The investment scam, which was in fact a Ponzi scheme, offered investors returns of up to 80% on their investments.
About 14,000 people were duped into investing in the scheme, to the value of an estimated 1.9 billion baht, according to the Department of Special Investigation.
Today, the DSI handed over assets worth about 230 million baht, seized from the investment company and its alleged ring leader, Apirak Kotethi, to the Anti-Money Laundering Office for safe keeping, before it is returned to the victims of the scam.
The assets consist of 173 items which include 14 cars, 12 land title deeds, 11 go-karts, 9 expensive car number plates, wristwatches, 54 sets of fitness equipment and gold ornaments.
The DSI has been investigated the scam since 2019, after multiple investors filed complaints claiming that they had been defrauded by Forex-3D.
