BANGKOK — Five Australian men have been arrested in Thailand following a police raid on a luxury Bangkok villa allegedly operating as a high-pressure scam call centre, known as a boiler room. Authorities say the group scammed elderly Australians out of nearly $2 million AUD through fake investment schemes.
Thai police, in cooperation with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), raided the lavish property on Monday, arresting 13 individuals in total. The suspects include five Australians, six Britons, a 44-year-old South African, and a 58-year-old Canadian.
The Australian nationals arrested were Brett Peter Dawson (51), Nicholas John Mason (43), Mark Dennis (54), Christopher Pepena (48), and Luke Cameron Campbell (45).
Video footage from the raid shows Thai officers storming the premises, where suspects were caught operating 58 computers and using prepared scripts to pitch fake bond investments to Australians, promising annual returns of 7–10% with maturity periods of one to three years.
The villa, located on the outskirts of Bangkok, was decorated with multiple clocks showing Australian time zones—a chilling reminder of their focus on Aussie victims. The operation reportedly ran on Sydney time (9 AM – 6 PM) to maximize contact with potential victims.
Investigators believe the network targeted up to 14,000 Australians.
Kristie Lee Cressy, Senior Officer with the AFP, confirmed the operation was part of a joint investigation:
“This syndicate was specifically targeting Australian victims, scamming them through elaborate schemes. The total losses amounted to nearly $2 million—money stolen from hardworking Australians.”
She added that the success of the raid underscores the strong cooperation between Thai and Australian authorities in tackling international fraud operations.
This case adds to Australia’s growing concern over boiler room scams, with reported losses reaching $4.45 billion over the past four years alone.
