Bitcoin suspect says he was duped

Bitcoin suspect says he was duped

Well-known stock investor Prasit Srisuwan not only denied wrongdoing over the great bitcoin heist, but claimed to be a victim. (Post Today photo)
Well-known stock investor Prasit Srisuwan not only denied wrongdoing over the great bitcoin heist, but claimed to be a victim. (Post Today photo)

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) shrugged off a famous stock investor's claim that he was not the co-conspirator but rather the victim of a bitcoin (BTC) scam on Monday, saying investigators would consider the evidence and not speculate.

Pol Col Chakrit Sawasdee, deputy chief of the CSD, said Prasit Srisuwan, an investor and one of five suspects in the scandal involving 5,564 bitcoins, equivalent to 797 million baht, would have to meet the police and answer the charges leveled against him.

The senior police officer's remark came after Mr Prasit held a press conference Monday in a bid to clear his name.

Mr Prasit claimed Monday he had also been defrauded as he has been named as a suspect. The CSD will reportedly meet with him next week.

However investigators still believe he was complicit in the scam, which saw Finnish investor Aarni Otava Saarimaa duped into transferring bitcoin for investment in three firms -- DNA 2002 Plc, Expay Software, and NX Chain Inc.

Mr Saarimaa claimed he never received any of the shares nor had any of the money returned.

Police also implicated four others: Actor Jiratpisit "Boom" Jaravijit; his two siblings, Prinya and Thanasit; Chakris Ahmad; and a shareholder of Expay Software Co.

Mr Prasit claims that Mr Prinya, the alleged mastermind of the scheme, used his credibility to trick people into transferring shares.

Mr Prasit said he was approached by Mr Prinya via Facebook and was later introduced to Mr Saarimaa and his girlfriend, Chonnika Kaewkasee.

After four months he began to suspect something was wrong when Mr Prinya failed to transfer 400 million shares and the money as agreed. He said he then broke away from the partnership.

Mr Prasit said he had brought in Capt Thammanat Prompao, a former Pheu Thai MP, to help mediate with Mr Prinya in a bid to get the investment agreed, but Mr Prinya did not cooperate.

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