3 more sought over KMITL fraud

3 more sought over KMITL fraud

Police have launched a hunt for three more people suspected of being involved in the embezzlement of 1.66 billion baht from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL).

Crime Suppression Division police are chasing three more suspects in the KMITL embezzlement case. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) on Wednesday sent two police teams to gather evidence against those involved in the embezzlement case following the arrest of a former commercial bank manager and a senior financial officer at KMITL.

Songklod Sriprasong, 40, a former manager of Bank of Ayudhya’s Big C Srinakarin branch, and Amporn Noisamrit, 56, head of the university’s financial division, were accused of colluding in the embezzlement and of falsifying documents.

Mr Songklod was arrested at his house on Soi On Nut in Bangkok on Tuesday, while Ms Amporn is under close watch by police at a hospital in the Bang Na area where she is being treated for diabetes.

One of the CSD teams was on Wednesday dispatched to search for further evidence at the KMITL’s financial division and another team went to Kanchanaburi to locate Poonsak Boonsawat after it was found that Ms Amporn had deposited cashier cheques under his name.

Police said Mr Poonsak, 26, was believed to be in hiding in Kanchaburi province.

There were also two more people implicated in the case. They were identified as Jariwat Sahapornudomkarn and Kittisak Matthuchad.

A preliminary police investigation found that Mr Jariwat, 31, had three bank accounts worth 1.6 million baht, while Mr Kittisak had six accounts with 1.2 million baht. There were three accounts worth 1.6 million baht under the name of Mr Poonsak.

Authorities are trying to locate the three men for questioning. However, Mr Kittisak reportedly left for Hong Kong on Tuesday night.

The embezzlement took place between 2012 and 2014. KMITL auditors checked all the university's accounts and money deposited at various commercial banks from 2012 until this year and discovered that 1.66 billion baht was missing.

Acting CSD chief Pol Col Akkaradet Pimonsri said on Wednesday that investigators found Mr Songklod’s testimony useful as it had implicated at least four people in money transfers at four commercial banks. One of the suspects is Mr Poonsak.

"Police investigators will invite some KMITL officials for questioning to gather more evidence. They will coordinate with the Thai Bankers’ Association to freeze some accounts related to the case to check all money transactions," Pol Col Akkaradej said.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT