A Thai actor has been arrested after he and his accomplices allegedly lured a Finnish man into transferring THB797 million (about US$24 million) in Bitcoin with the false promise that they’d start a digital currency business together.
Jiratpisit “Boon” Jaravijit, was nabbed at Major Cineplex Ratchayothin mall yesterday where he had been for a movie shoot. Police obtained arrest warrants for the actor and six others after receiving a complaint from the foreigner, identified as Aari Otava Saarimaa.
Among the seven suspects were the actor’s siblings, Parinya and Supitcha, who remain at large. Police said the other four suspects are entrepreneurs at the Stock Exchange of Thailand, and not all of them are currently in country, Thairath reported.
Police said the group allegedly told Saarimaa that they would buy shares in local companies that invested in Dragon Coin cryptocurrency, but in the end, the suspects allegedly exchanged the Finnish man’s Bitcoin into cold hard Thai baht then split it between them.
Jiratpisit denied the charge but has been denied bail to this point.
Other than his arrest, Jirapisit is known for acting roles in such Thai TV series as Bad Romance The Series, Nang Ai, and Naew Sutthai.
