Natthamon “Nutty” Khongchak, a former popular YouTuber accused of swindling thousands of followers out of approximately 2 billion baht (around $57 million) through a foreign exchange trading scam, has been arrested in Indonesia along with her mother, Thaniya Khongchak, after two years on the run. Their capture occurred in Dumai, a coastal city in Riau province on Sumatra Island, on October 18, facilitated by Indonesian police and Interpol.
Following their arrest, Thai national police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet discussed the case with investigators from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) and the Immigration Bureau. The two are expected to be handed over to Thai authorities on Friday afternoon, with Pol Gen Kitrat leading the investigative team to return them for trial on fraud charges.
At 31, Natthamon attracted over 800,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel, “Nutty’s Diary,” primarily sharing dance videos. Leveraging her online fame, she later posed as an investment guru, promising high returns to more than 6,000 victims, many of whom reported receiving no payouts.
Natthamon’s private secretary, Nichaphat Rattanukrom, is also wanted on an arrest warrant for public fraud and remains at large. According to CCIB investigators, the trio fled to Indonesia after victims filed complaints on August 24, 2022. Thai authorities sought the cooperation of the Indonesian embassy in Bangkok and Interpol for their capture.
The victims, led by lawyer Phaisal Ruangrit, reported that Khongchak used her popularity to lure them with promises of substantial returns in short timeframes, offering 25% for three-month contracts, 30% for six-month contracts, and 35% for 12-month contracts, with monthly payouts promised.
