BANGKOK — 15 February 2026 — Thai cybercrime police have arrested four foreign nationals accused of operating mule bank accounts linked to an online scam that cost a victim more than 800,000 baht (£18,000).
The operation was ordered by Pol. Maj. Gen. Chananat Sarathwanpaet, commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, who directed officers from Division 3 to conduct the arrests.
Three Cambodian nationals — Sophorn, 36, Bannarit, 23, and Soran, 37 — were apprehended in Bang Pu Mai subdistrict, Samut Prakan province. A fourth suspect, Tat, 29, a Myanmar national, was arrested in Bang Phli Yai subdistrict in the same province.
They face charges including criminal association, public fraud by impersonation, entering false information into a computer system, and money laundering.
How the Scam Unfolded
Police said the case began when a victim reported being deceived into purchasing a mobile phone via Facebook. After transferring payment, the product was never delivered.
The victim was later contacted by a scammer posing as an officer from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau, claiming he could help recover the funds. The conversation was moved to the Line messaging app, where the victim was persuaded to invest in stock trading with promises of profit and reimbursement of earlier losses.
The victim ultimately transferred more than 800,000 baht.
Mule Accounts and Cash Withdrawals
Investigators found the stolen funds were routed through mule bank accounts before being withdrawn in cash at banks in Samut Prakan. Search warrants were obtained, leading to the arrests of the four suspects believed to own the accounts and handle withdrawals.
Seized evidence included mobile phones, ATM cards, bank books linked to mule accounts, clothing worn during the alleged offences, and over 300,000 baht (£6,700) in cash.
Sophorn allegedly admitted to owning a mule account and withdrawing funds in exchange for a 20% commission. Bannarit reportedly coordinated between ringleaders and cash collectors and packaged money for transport to the Thai-Cambodian border.
Soran and Tat allegedly confessed to owning mule accounts and withdrawing money for 500 baht per transaction.
All four suspects have been handed over for legal proceedings as authorities expand the investigation to identify additional members of the scam network.
