The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is seking the indictment of The iCon Group founder and CEO Warathaphon “Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul, his mother Wilawan Phutthasamrit and former politician Samart Janechaijittawanich on charges of conspiracy to launder money.
Mr Warathaphon, along with other executives of the direct-sales company and Mr Samart, are already in jail on fraud and other charges while Ms Wilawan has been released on bail.
Investigators are preparing to submit their report, which runs to 3,000 pages, to the Department of Special Litigation at the Office of the Attorney General, said Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam, the DSI director-general.
The DSI recommended that Mr Warathaphon, Mr Samart, a former deputy spokesman of the Palang Pracharath Party, and Ms Wilawan, as well as the company itself should be indicted on additional charges of money laundering.
Pol Maj Yutthana said the DSI has also recommended indicting all 19 suspects including two celebrities — Yuranunt “Sam” Pamornmontri and Peechaya “Min” Wattanamontree — who had the charges against them dropped on Jan 8, after prosecutors cited a lack of evidence.
The charges against all 19 suspects, including The iCon Group and 18 executives, are public fraud, fraudulent borrowing, illegally running a direct sales business, and jointly inputting distorted, forged or false data into a computer system.
Complainants in the iCon case have alleged that the company and its senior “bosses” focused on more on recruiting new dealers and encouraging them to invest in products rather than on product marketing.
Investigators have reportedly received about 9,000 complaints from individuals reporting losses approaching 3 billion baht.
A separate investigation is continuing into allegations linked to the transfer and receipt of assets from The iCon Group and the 18 suspects.