Thai YouTuber and Mother Extradited for $60 Million Stock Trading Scam
Nuttamon Kongjak, known as “Nutty,” a 31-year-old Thai YouTuber and influencer, and her 66-year-old mother Thaniya, were extradited from Indonesia on October 25, 2024, after being accused of defrauding more than 6,000 victims in a stock trading scheme that caused damages exceeding 2 billion baht (approximately $60 million).
The mother-daughter duo had been on the run after arrest warrants were issued for them by the Thai Criminal Court on September 12, 2022, on charges of public fraud and falsifying information. Nutty faced 13 arrest warrants, while her mother had two. The pair fled Thailand in July 2022, initially traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and then illegally smuggling themselves to Indonesia by boat.
While hiding in Indonesia, Nutty and Thaniya worked as food delivery workers to sustain themselves. On October 2, 2024, they were apprehended by Indonesian authorities in Dumai, Sumatra, and later extradited back to Thailand on October 25. Upon their arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, they were taken into custody by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for interrogation.
Both were detained at the Ratchada Criminal Court from October 26 to November 6, 2024, with no option for bail due to the severity of their alleged fraud activities and concerns that they may attempt to flee again. Neither family members nor lawyers filed a bail request on their behalf. Subsequently, they were sent to the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok.
The DSI is also investigating the involvement of Nutty’s secretary, who is believed to be abroad. Investigators will continue to explore whether other individuals helped the fugitives while they were on the run.
The case has drawn attention due to Nutty’s background, which includes a 2014 appearance on the Channel 3 variety show At Ten. In this interview, Nutty and her mother discussed their struggles, including a difficult chapter in Malaysia, where Nutty was forced into an arranged marriage at the age of 13 to a wealthy tycoon. After escaping this situation and returning to Thailand, Nutty became a YouTuber, gaining popularity with her “Nutty’s Diary” channel.
She later shifted to promoting stock trading, luring investors with promises of high returns—such as 25% profit in three months or 35% in a year—while flaunting her wealth on social media. Nutty attracted many investors who were promised lucrative gains through stock trading, only to later discover that their money was used for her personal indulgences rather than any legitimate investment activities.
By April 2022, victims began speaking out on social media, revealing they had been scammed. As of the latest reports, 445 individuals have filed complaints against Nutty, with total damages amounting to over 2 billion baht.
Nutty’s arrest comes amid a wave of similar fraud cases in Thailand, including those tied to direct sales businesses such as The iCon Group and Ponzi schemes like Forex 3D, where celebrities and influencers have been implicated in misleading schemes to present a false image of wealth and success through online platforms.