Prosecutors have indicted 17 suspects in The iCon Group fraud case, including CEO and founder Waranthaphon "Boss Paul" Wratyaworrakul, and dropped charges against actor Yuranunt Pamornmontri and actress Pechaya Wattanamontree.
The 17 defendants face charges of public fraud, fraudulent borrowing and illegally running a direct sales business, and other related offences.
Sakkasem Nisaiyok, spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), said investigators of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) submitted their report on The iCon Group case and 19 suspects on Dec 23.
The case was filed by Nath Thanapipatdollaphat and other representatives of the victims against Waranthaphon, CEO of The iCon Group, and 18 other suspects. They were accused of collusion in public fraud, deception, putting false information into a computer system, fraudulent borrowing, running an unlicensed direct sales business and other offences.
The alleged offences occurred between Aug 12, 2020 and Aug 31, 2024 in Bangkok and other provinces across the country, and allegedly caused damage put at 649.9 million baht in total.
The prosecutors decided to indict iCon founder and CEO Warathaphon and 16 other suspects, all dubbed ‘‘bosses’’ in the iCon marketing hierarchy. TV host Kan Kantathavorn was among them.
They decided to drop charges against actor Yuranunt “Boss Sam’’ and actress Pechaya “Boss Min”, Mr Sakkasem said.
The 17 suspects were taken to the Criminal Court on Wednesday for formal arraignment.
Prosecutors would also request the court release the two uncharged celebrities. They and the other 17 suspects were earlier denied bail and held in custody. The DSI was being informed, the OAG spokesman said.
Warathaphon ‘Boss Paul’ Waratyaworrakul, founder and CEO of The iCon Group, is escorted by police from the Central Investigation Bureau to the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Oct 18. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)
Sakkasem Nisaiyok, spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), speaks at the press conference on Wednesday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
Yuranunt "Sam" Pamornmontri, left, and actress Peechaya "Min" Wattanamontree