More online Ponzi scheme cases have emerged as police on Tuesday continued to expand their probe into the multi-million baht " Mae Manee" Ponzi scheme case.
In one new case, Suphan Buri police said the provincial court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Wichitra Khlai-ubon, 25, who allegedly conned more than 300 people out of about 300 million baht in total.
Pol Col Somphon Phukhom, Suphan Buri provincial police chief, said the suspect who was still on the run was found to have operated a Ponzi scheme called "Nong Prim Pha Ruay" (Little Prim will make you rich).
A check into her bank account showed she only had four baht left, which prompted the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) to delve deeper into her financial transaction history and the money trail of the Ponzi scheme, said Pol Col Somphon.
An source said the suspect had always turned the money she had illegally earned through the scheme into assets, including a new house and automobiles, registered as her mother's properties.
Also in Suphan Buri, the police were investigating another suspected Ponzi scheme estimated to have cost victims about 60 million baht in losses.
In another Ponzi scheme case, Pol Col Sarawuth Khonyai, deputy chief of the Provincial Police Region 6, confirmed that a suspect identified only as Nong Bua, who allegedly operated a fake online savings and investment scam, was being questioned by police.
The Provincial Police Region 6 is in charge of criminal investigations in Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Sukhothai, Uttaradit and Uthai Thani.
More than 500 people from across the country, most of whom are high school students, have become victims of this scam, estimated to have cost them about 20 million baht in losses, said Pol Col Sarawuth.
Nong Bua, the suspect, was found to have colluded with another suspect, identified only as a resident of the Central Plains.
The Udon Thani police probing the Mae Manee Ponzi scheme case raided five locations, including a house owned by the mother of Wantanee Tippaveth, aka Mae Manee, the key suspect.
At the house, police found money transfer receipts totalling 1 million baht.