DSI Expedites Preparation of Case File to Charge 18 Suspects with Pyramid Schemes.

Bangkok: DSI is expediting the preparation of the case file to charge 18 suspects and The Icon Group Company with pyramid schemes. They are preparing to coordinate with the Department of Corrections to send investigators to charge the suspects in prison within the next week. As for witnesses, the suspects' lawyers do not need to question them all if there is duplication of information. Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has revealed that assets in the case have been initially seized worth more than 320 million baht. According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Lt. Col. Yuthana Phraedam, acting director-general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), revealed the progress of the case of The Icon Group, saying that they are currently gathering evidence to press additional charges against the 18 suspects. The investigators are in the process of recording the charges, but it has not yet been confirmed whether they will be completed in time to press charges in prison tomorrow. If the investigator s have completed their work, they will be ready to press charges against the suspects in prison immediately. As for the next group of suspects, there is still time to investigate, so they must focus on preparing the case file of the first group of suspects first in order to submit the case file to the prosecutor within the 84-day detention period. In the case of Mr. Witoon Kaengngan, the accused's lawyer, who confirmed that he would bring more than 2,000 witnesses for questioning, and if the DSI could not complete the questioning, they might consider filing a complaint under Section 157. Pol. Lt. Col. Yuthana revealed that he had asked the lawyer to make a list of witnesses, indicating who was involved and how, including the issues to be testified, which is the investigator's authority to consider. They could not question everyone because it might damage the case. Mr. Witthaya Neetitham, spokesman for the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), said that orders to seize assets of approximately 320 million baht have been issued, mostly in accounts that collect money from securities trading, money in deposit accounts with clear transfer orders. The seizure of assets in this case is the authority of the DSI to initially seize before handing them over to the AMLO. Other related assets or assets of persons who are not the accused must wait for the criminal investigation report to be used for consideration. It is expected that there will be more clarity next week. However, if a financial trail is found from the crime, no matter who it is, it can be seized without having to wait for the person to be prosecuted. As for the owner, the intention must be considered to see if they received it with knowledge or not. In the past, assets of both the accused and related persons with clear financial trails have been seized. However, the assets in this case have been jointly seized by many agencies. However, the difficulty is that the crime occurred over many years. The assets may have been transferred, which will be done to the fu llest extent. Now, the assets must be collected and settled first, and then the rights protection process will be entered. We have to see how the victims will get their assets back, because some people who paid have received some of the products. As for the money that the accused transferred to make merit, can it be seized or not? In this case, the temple that received the donation can argue that it received it honestly according to morality and ethics, and did not know that it was money obtained from wrongdoing. It must also be considered whether the temple normally received this amount of donation money, whether there was a close relationship before, or whether the money received from making merit was transferred out immediately. In the case of whether to seize the assets of the mother of one of the accused or not, it also depends on the intention, whether the money was received honestly or not, whether it was known that it was money obtained from committing an offense.