Couple charged with B36m theft from bank

A former bank employee and her husband have been arrested in Ratchathewi district of Bangkok for allegedly cheating customers out of 36 million baht in cheques.

Police from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) made the arrests on Wednesday when they raided a condominium unit in Asok on Din Daeng Road.

A woman identified only as Lata, 33, was wanted on an arrest warrant for colluding in theft and unlawfully reaping personal profits as an employee of a financial institution. Her husband Pharanyu, 36, was wanted on a warrant for colluding in theft, said Pol Maj Gen Phutthidej Boonkraphue, the ECD commander. The family names of the suspects and the name of the bank were not disclosed.

The case began when representatives from two construction firms deposited cashier’s cheques totalling 36.2 million baht to repay loans to the bank where Ms Lata worked. The funds never made it to their intended destination, and an internal investigation found the money had been deposited into the account of Ms Lata’s husband. A complaint was subsequently filed with ECD police.

During questioning, the suspects denied all charges. They were handed over to police investigators for further legal action.

Pol Col Mekphisarn Sripirom, the ECD superintendent, said the suspect was fully aware of how banking procedures worked and exploited a loophole in the cheque-clearing system to divert the money. Police had obtained clear evidence against the couple, he added.

A former bank employee identified only as Lata, and her husband Pharanyu are taken to the Economic Crime Suppression Division office. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)