Natthamon “Nutty” Khongchak Arrested for Forex Scam
Natthamon “Nutty” Khongchak, a 29-year-old former YouTube star, was arrested in Dumai, Indonesia, alongside her mother, Thaniya Khongchak, after allegedly swindling thousands of followers out of around two billion Thai baht (approximately $45.7 million) in a forex trading scam.
The arrest took place on October 18, 2024, in Dumai, a coastal city in Indonesia’s Riau province, with the help of Indonesian police and Interpol. The pair are set to be extradited to Thailand to face charges of fraud and related offenses. Thai authorities, led by National Police Chief Pol Gen Kitrat, have been working to return the two suspects for trial.
Khongchak, known for her YouTube channel “Nutty’s Diary,” gained over 800,000 subscribers with her music and lifestyle videos, often portraying a life of luxury. She used her platform to present herself as an investment guru, offering high returns through forex trading courses. Over 6,000 victims fell for the scam, investing in her promise of substantial monthly returns, which they never received.
After complaints poured in, Khongchak claimed on Instagram that a trading error had led to the loss of investor funds, but then ceased communication altogether. She went into hiding, along with her mother, and was on the run for two years.
The case came to light in 2022 when victims, represented by lawyer Phaisal Ruangrit, filed official complaints against her. Khongchak and her private secretary, Nichaphat Rattanukrom, were charged with fraud, with Rattanukrom still at large. Thai authorities collaborated with Interpol and the Indonesian embassy to track the suspects down.
The investigation, spearheaded by Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau and Immigration Bureau, is ongoing, with the authorities continuing to work on recovering the funds defrauded from the victims.
