Crime Suppression Division officers arrested a woman in Pathum Thani province today, for allegedly extorting 750,000 baht from iCon Group CEO Waratphol Waratvorakul.
According to the CSD and some witnesses statements, the suspect, identified as Krit-anong Suwanwong, head of an online network coordination centre, approached Waratphol and his close aides with an offer not to bring more customers to file complaints against the company in return for a payment of 750,000 baht.
Police claim that the first payment of 450,000 baht was transferred to the account of ‘The Foundation against Corruption and Ponzi Schemes’ and the rest, in cash, was hand-delivered to the suspect as demanded.
Police said that Krit-anong was instrumental in negotiating with iCon Group for the return of about 10 million baht to victims of their pyramid scheme adding, however, that she had charged the victims 20% of the refunds for her services.
18 executives and core members of iCon Group, including the CEO and celebrities Kan Kantathavorn, Yuranunt Pamornmontri and Peechaya Wattanamontree, are being held on remand on charges of defrauding the public, money laundering and operating a pyramid scheme.
