Actor-singer Sittichai Pabchompu, 33, aka Boy AF3, has been arrested at a Buddhist temple in Nakhon Ratchasima province for alleged involvement in a 13-million-baht credit card scam.
Pol Col Padol Chandon of the Economic Crime Suppression Division said Mr Sittichai, who had been ordained into the monkhood, was taken into custody at Wat Tham Khao Wong in tambon Nong Nam Daeng of Pak Chong district on Sunday.
He was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on June 12 for alleged possession of and using credit card information in the way that caused damage to others.
Mr Sittichai is among 11 suspects who allegedly used false credit card information to make room reservations and service purchases at Lotus Condotel in Udon Thani province in December 2018 and January 2019. The services were purchased through 144 fraudulent key-entered transactions worth 13.28 million baht.
An executive and two employees of the hotel were arrested earlier for alleged conspiracy in the commission of a crime, Pol Col Padol said.
The 11 suspects had different roles. Two Chinese suspects arrested earlier gathered credit card information, including 16-digit card numbers, expiry dates and card verification values (CVV). Eight suspects handled the paperwork presented to commercial banks that would send money to the hotel in payment for the service purchases.
The gang acted as if they were reserving rooms and purchasing services for tour groups and received a share of the money from the hotel, Pol Col Padol said.
Mr Sittichai denied all the charges, saying he had been asked to find a hotel for credit card transactions and had believed the credit card information given to him had been acquired legally.
He was released on bail of 300,000 baht.