Natthamon ‘Nutty’ Khongchak Arrested in Indonesia After Two-Year Manhunt for Forex Trading Scam
PUBLISHED: 25 Oct 2024 at 20:26
UPDATED: 25 Oct 2024 at 20:33
Natthamon “Nutty” Khongchak and her mother arrived back in Thailand on Friday evening after being arrested in Indonesia to face charges of defrauding thousands of followers out of 2 billion baht in a foreign-exchange trading scam.
Upon their arrival at Don Mueang airport, they were greeted by senior police officials. The duo was transported in a vehicle from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
In a brief statement to reporters, Natthamon expressed her desire to apologize to all victims but refrained from discussing the case further.
She was sought by law enforcement on 13 arrest warrants related to cybercrime, while her mother faced two warrants for similar charges. The DSI has taken over the investigation as a special case.
The pair, along with Natthamon’s secretary, fled Thailand in July of the previous year, navigating through a southern border, making their way to Kuala Lumpur, and later illegally entering Indonesia, police reported.
Indonesian authorities apprehended Natthamon and her mother on October 18 in Dumai, Riau province, due to illegal entry. Natthamon’s secretary remains at large.
Authorities have already confiscated assets worth 16 million baht from the suspects connected to the Ponzi scheme, and the investigation is expanding to trace the financial activities for further asset recovery.
The DSI reported that over 6,000 individuals were defrauded, leading to losses estimated at 2 billion baht, with 445 people having already lodged complaints against the accused.
At just 31 years old, Natthamon had garnered more than 800,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel, where she initially shared dance videos. Leveraging her online fame, she positioned herself as an investment expert, enticing many with promises of substantial returns—only for them to later experience financial losses.
The arrests were prompted by ongoing efforts from defrauded victims, spearheaded by a local lawyer who filed formal complaints in August 2022. Victims claimed that Natthamon used her celebrity status to lure them into a misleading investment scheme, guaranteeing high returns for money deposited into her account.
