SURAT THANI: A Russian suspected of involvement with a phone scam gang in Cambodia linked to family-debt murders in Samut Prakan has been arrested at a hotel on Koh Samui, police said.
Armed with a warrant issued by Samut Prakan Court on Aug 31, a Provincial Police Region 8 team led by Pol Maj Kitti Daengchai arrested Daniil Aldunenkov, 31, at the Panorama Hotel in Koh Samui district on Sunday morning.
He is charged with fraud, uploading false or distorted information into a computer system causing damage to other people, and allowing other people to use his bank accounts and electronic cards for fraudulent purposes.
Mr Aldunenkov was sitting in front of his room with a relative when police arrived and arrested him. He was taken to Samut Prakan and handed over to Bang Kaew police for legal action.
Police suspect Mr Aldunenkov of involvement in the operation of a phone scam gang based in Cambodia.
The gang's dishonesty is believed to have caused Sanit Dokmai, 41, to kill his wife Wipaporn Racha, 44, and their sons, aged 9 and 13, at their home in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan, on Aug 28.
Mr Sanit attempted unsuccessfully to commit suicide, slashing his own throat and wrist. He is being treated in a hospital.
His wife was said to have been trying to help her husband clear a debt, was lured into using an online loan app and cheated out of a reported 1.7 million baht. The devastated husband told colleagues he was going to lose his house, killed her and their children and then tried to end his own life. Police investigators obtained arrest warrants for scammers linked to the online fraud.
Deputy police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said earlier said police had court warrants to arrest 11 suspects who opened bank accounts for use by the fraudsters.