Ezeokolie Jude Nwokenamma, a Nigerian national, was on Friday arrested by Thailand authorities on suspicion of running a multi-million baht [Thailand’s currency] fake money scam, valued at over N398.7 million (about 80 million baht).
The 37-year-old was arrested by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Friday, at his rented apartment in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district on Friday morning. BANGKOKPOST reports said police found and seized seven mobile phones, 13 SIM cards, two notebooks, two bank books, three ATM cards and equipment used to make counterfeit money in his flat.
The DSI director-general, Tarit Pengdit, alleged that Nwokenamma used two Facebook accounts to contact victims claiming that he was either a former American soldier or diplomat with a stash of dollar banknotes that he was unable to use because they had the word “original” stamped on them.
“He asked his victims to pay for a special liquid to remove the “original” stamp at the cost of 700,000 baht, promising to give them the cash at a favourable exchange rate. Mr Nwokenamma showed his victims two real banknotes, which he exchanged into Thai baht to gain their trust,” a report said.
Pengdit estimated Nwokenamma fraudulently received over N398.7 million (about 80 million baht) from not less than about 100 people that fell for the scam.
The latest victim, who is a pharmacist, transferred 400,000 baht to the man before he disappeared without paying him the dollars as promised.
The DSI instructed people not to wire money into a number of Thai bank accounts that are linked with the scam. They are Widarat Ngenyodrak at Thanachat Bank, Waleeporn Ruangrod and Nuchalee Butrthongkam at Bangkok Bank, Kaeochai Phu-ug at CIMB bank and Thanapol Riangdet at Kasikornbank.
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