A man with a long record for fraud stands accused of tricking another fraud suspect out of more than 4 million baht by offering to save him from prosecution through his “special connection” with justice authorities.
Nathapontha Yana-opas, 35, was arrested in Pak Tho district of Ratchaburi on Wednesday on a warrant issued on Dec 6, said Pol Maj Gen Montree Theskhan, commander of the police Crime Suppression Division.
The arrest followed a complaint from another man who was defending himself against a fraud allegation in the provincial court in Roi Et.
Police say Mr Nathapontha had approached the man and claimed he could lobby for temporary release and arrange for the removal of an electronic monitoring bracelet because he was close to a judge in the Court of Appeal Region 4.
He subsequently made a successful application on the man’s behalf by following normal judicial procedures. He then demanded 3.75 million baht for his efforts.
As the victim was also being prosecuted for computer crime, Mr Nathapontha claimed he was close to Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, head of the Central Investigation Bureau, and would lobby for leniency.
The victim believed him and gave him another 350,000 baht.
When the victim realised he was being tricked, he filed a complaint with the Saraphi police station in Chiang Mai province and with the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok.
Pol Maj Gen Montree said that over the past decade, Mr Nathapontha had been prosecuted in more than 20 fraud cases including cases involving bad cheques and bogus air ticket reservations.