American arrested over B700m fraud

American arrested over B700m fraud

Immigration police have arrested an American man suspected of swindling more than 290 people in the United States and Canada out of 700 million baht via telemarketing fraud.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Sakda Cheunphakdee said Joseph Simon Arsenault, 56, was caught in front of a tower on Sukhumvit 71 Road in Watthana district of Bangkok.

Foreign suspects wanted in their home countries. They include Tuukka Tapani Karppinen, right, Joseph Simon Arsenault, centre, and Kenneth Roger Goins, left. Somchai Poomlard

Officers did not say when he was arrested.

Pol Lt Gen Sakda said Mr Arsenault is wanted by police in America. 

Immigration police have revoked his visa and they plan to deport him to the US for prosecution.

He entered Thailand on April 24, 2014, and his visa was set to expire on July 22 this year, police said.

Mr Arsenault was among four foreign suspects paraded in front of the press yesterday.

All of the suspects were captured in Thailand after fleeing their home countries.

The other three were Antony W Ceulen, 60, who is wanted on an arrest warrant issued by a court in Wisconsin in the US for allegedly swindling at least 12 investors out of US$400,000 (about 13 million baht). He was arrested in front of a condominium in Kannayao district of Bangkok on March 8.

Kenneth Roger Goins, 29, is wanted by a court in the US over a 2014 robbery in North Carolina.  He was charged by immigration with overstaying his visa which had expired on Jan 15, 2014, Pol Lt Gen Sakda said.

They will both be deported, Pol Lt Gen Sakda said. 

Tuukka Tapani Karppinen, 31, from Finland, is wanted by police in the European Union for allegedly molesting children under the age of 16. He will also be deported.

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