PUBLISHED: 4 Aug 2024 at 13:01
BANGKOK – A 48-year-old transgender individual was arrested on Saturday night for allegedly defrauding a Japanese man, marking another incident in a series of similar offenses that have totaled approximately 26 million baht in losses over the past decade.
According to law enforcement sources, the arrest of Uthai Nanthakhan, also known as Amy, stemmed from a complaint filed by a 36-year-old Japanese man at the Thong Lor police station.
The victim reported that he met Uthai in January, at which point she claimed to be visiting from Hong Kong. Following several meetings, she managed to convince him to cover various expenses.
Police explained that Uthai typically tells her victims, predominantly Japanese men, that she has lost her wallet and passport and needs to borrow money for things such as obtaining new identification, medical treatments, and insurance.
Uthai’s history of fraud dates back to 2011, with 73 reported victims defrauded of a combined total of around 26 million baht. In the current year alone, authorities have received complaints from three additional victims who reported losses of roughly 4 million baht.
It is worth noting that the suspect previously served time in prison for similar offenses, having been incarcerated in 2015 and released in 2018.
