MP and actor among 34 targeted for forex scam prosecution - Bangkok Post

An armed DSI official walks past luxury cars at the agency’s headquarters in Bangkok on June 19. The vehicles were among assets worth 65 million baht impounded in the foreign-exchange scam case. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill) People’s Party MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu and actor Rattapoom Tokongsup are among 34 suspects the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is seeking to indict in a high-profile foreign-exchange scam case.

DSI officials on Thursday brought a 40,348-page dossier on their investigation to public prosecutors at the Office of the Attorney-General in Bangkok.

The suspects — 24 individuals and 10 companies — face multiple charges, including fraud-related borrowing, operating unlicensed securities brokerage and derivatives businesses, importing false information into computer systems and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

MP Pawoot and Mr Rattapoom, aka “Film”, reported to the DSI on Thursday morning. Mr Pawoot denied the charges, saying he did not offer any foreign-exchange services and that most of his investment earnings came from gold trading.

The reference was to 28 million baht in income the MP reportedly earned from QRS Global Co, one of the firms suspected of receiving money from forex scam victims.

The opposition MP said he showed up at the DSI as a citizen and did not seek to exercise parliamentary immunity. The People’s Party has also said it would not press to shield the MP from legal action while parliament is in session.

Mr Pawoot has been an outspoken critic of the government’s 1.6-billion-baht TH-AI Passport project, and some of his supporters have questioned whether the DSI’s pursuit of him was political, something the agency denied.

Mr Rattapoom said he was worry-free as he had already submitted all of his defence evidence to the DSI.

The case made headlines when DSI officials raided 24 locations in Bangkok and nearby provinces and impounded assets worth about 65 million baht suspected of being connected to money that brokers raised from foreign-exchange scams.

People’s Party MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu (above) and actor Rattapoom “Film” Tokongsuparrives (below) arrive at the Office of the Attorney-General on Thursday. (Supplied Photos)