Chiang mai: Police have arrested members of a fraudulent gang known as the "Lawyer Thip" group, who masqueraded as mediators to resolve disputes, causing victims to lose millions of baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the group, initially a gambling scam gang, evolved into the "Lawyer Thip" gang and defrauded victims across various regions, amassing damages exceeding 30 million baht. Their latest victim, a businesswoman from Chiang Mai, was swindled out of 16 million baht after being deceived into transferring money nearly a hundred times.
Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Center of Provincial Police Region 5 arrested four suspects in Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son Province. The suspects were found in possession of significant assets, including gold, acquired through their fraudulent activities. The suspects were then taken to the headquarters of Provincial Police Region 5 in Chiang Mai for further questioning.
Police Lieutenant General Kritthaphol Yisakhon, the Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, led the interrogation and revealed that the gang had transitioned from a gambling scam, focusing on a Thai dice game called "Kam Thua," to the "Lawyer Thip" scam. They used their legal knowledge to deceive victims nationwide, with damages totaling at least 30 million baht.
The most recent case involved a 27-year-old businesswoman from Chiang Mai who was misled into believing the gang could resolve issues with her land purchase in Mae Sariang district. After she sought legal assistance online, the gang posed as legal representatives, compelling her to transfer money for various fees on 97 occasions over two months, amounting to nearly 16 million baht. When the situation remained unresolved and she lost contact with the scammers, the victim reported the case to the police. Subsequently, the entire gang was apprehended, including the ringleaders, a husband and wife duo, with the wife having been arrested earlier in Phitsanulok province. Authorities have seized their assets, which will be partially returned to the victims.
The victim recounted that after facing issues with her land purchase, the gang's legal team approached her, showcasing their legal procedures and advice to gain her trust. She was coerced into making multiple transfers with threats of losing her money and facing legal action if she failed to comply. Eventually, she realized the deception when she could no longer contact the gang.