Police have summonsed nine stars, most of them women, for interrogation next week for advertising the substandard cosmetic and weight loss products of Magic Skin Co, and they may face multiple charges.
Pol Gen Wirachai Songmetta, deputy national police chief, on Thursday identified the nine as Ornapa "Ma" Krisadee, Apinya "Saipan" Sakuljaroensuk, Pitchanart "May" Sakhakorn, Jessie Vard, Napapa "Patt" Tantrakul, Orapan "Aoffy Maxim" Dansiriwattanakun, Rachwin "Koy" Wongwiriya, Sakolrat "Four" Woraurai, and Nontaporn "Yae" Teerawatanasuk.
They were summonsed for questioning at the Crime Suppression Division.
Pol Gen Wirachai said the stars might have breached the cosmetics act by using misleading words in promoting the products and the food act by falsely presenting the properties of food supplements, along with unauthorised advertising of the products.
The offences carry penalties of up to a year in prison and/or fines up to 100,000 baht.
They could also be charged with computer crime for putting fake information into computer systems, liable to a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of 100,000 baht, the deputy national police chief said.
"The initial interrogation will be about the intention of product reviews. If any of them clearly violated the mentioned laws, decisive legal action will be taken," he said.
Pol Gen Wirachai said most of the stars were paid six-digit amounts to review the products.
Evidence showed that 59 other stars and artists did the same, and there were about 500 affected people, with damages estimated at 100 million baht, he said.
On Sunday police raided a factory in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district after arresting eight suspects the day before who sold Magic Skin Co products with the trademarks Apple Slim, Slim Milk, Snow Milk, Fern, Magic Skin, Shinoshi, Treechada and Mezzo.
Each of these products carried either a fake FDA certificate or the wrong certificate.
Pol Gen Wirachai said earlier that Slim Milk and Snow Milk products contained only powdered milk.