Public prosecutors have filed charges against the suspects of the Japan trip scam case, with the leader facing a possible jail term up to 10 years.
Pasist Arinchayalapis, known as Sin Sae Shogun, allegedly deceived thousands of people into buying the food supplements sold by her company in exchange for a non-existent trip to Japan in April this year.
Public prosecutors on Thursday filed charges with the Criminal Court against Ms Pasist, her company Wealth Ever Co Ltd and eight others -- her family members, relatives and aides.
They also asked the court to punish them severely and to order them to repay 871 victims with interest at 7.5% a year from Thursday.
All of them were charged with collaborating to fraudulently borrow from the public. Nine of them, with the exception of the company, were also charged with breaching the computer crime law.
Ms Pasist and the company were additionally charged with collaborating to distribute supplement foods with incorrect labels. Ms Pasist also faced the charge of buying or accepting tax-evaded imported goods.
Total damages were estimated at 51 million baht.
Prayut Phetchakhun, deputy spokesman of the Office of the Attorney General, said although Wealth Ever Co was set up early this year, it caused fast-spreading damage.
Pakorn Dhammaroj, a prosecutor of the case, said Ms Pasist had earlier been charged with fraud in 4-6 cases but she had paid to settle them.
“The criminal case will proceed in parallel with the civil case so the money can be returned to victims. The Anti-Money Laundering Office has already seized some of the assets,” he said.
The suspects, who are being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison, will be brought to the court for an arraignment on Friday morning.