KHON KAEN -- Police are investigating a wholesale mobile phone business scheme in which an army colonel and his girlfriend allegedly scammed 145 victims out of 72.5 million baht.
Several people arrived at the Muang Khon Kaen police station on Friday to give information and answer questions about the alleged pyramid scheme.
The complainants have accused the colonel, who is based at a cavalry unit in Phetchabun province, and his girlfriend, a Khon Kaen native, of the fraud.
Among the complainants, Suphanuch Thasa, a 32-year-old businesswoman from Khon Kaen's Chum Phae district, said the colonel and his girlfriend invited her to invest in their family's "mobile phone wholesale business" and they had promised a 5% return on a 24-hour investment of one million baht and a 12% return on a 15-day investment..
She identified the girlfriend as Namfon Ngodngam, of Kohn Kaen's Sam Soong district.
Ms Suphanuch said she had invested a total of 28 million baht between April 2014 and September 2015. She also invited relatives to join the scheme.
The returns on the investment stopped late last year and negotiations with the colonel had proved fruitless, she said. She and her relatives lost a total of 51 million baht.
Pol Col Nophadol Phetsuth, chief of the Muang Khon Kaen police station, said there were 145 people drawn into the scheme and they complained they lost a total of 72.5 million baht. Police were still compiling the evidence and would summon the colonel for questioning later.