iCon suspects face grilling

The Revenue Department (RD) will summon some key suspects in the scandal involving The iCon Group direct sales company for questioning after they failed to pay personal income taxes.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said on Friday that an investigation had found some executives of the company did not submit tax payment forms to the Revenue Department.
The Department will ask financial institutions for the information belonging to those executives for use in tax assessments. They will also be summoned to provide explanations, he said.
He added the Fiscal Policy Office was instructed to study and improve the 1984 executive decree on the issuing of fraudulent loans to ensure it keeps up with the current circumstances.
Lavaron Sangsnit, permanent secretary for finance, said that under the decree, the Finance Ministry is responsible for enforcing it, but many people affected by the scandal have filed complaints with police or the Department of Special Investigation.
“Therefore, the power to enforce the law should be handed over to agencies that received the complaints,” he said, adding that police have not yet brought charges against the suspects in The iCon case under the 1984 decree.
Under the decree, it is illegal to persuade 10 people or more to invest and promise returns that are higher than the highest deposit interest rates offered by banks. Violators are liable to a jail term of up to 10 years and/or a fine of up to 1 million baht.
Warathaphon “Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul, a prime suspect in The iCon Group scandal, was remanded in custody along with 17 other suspects after the Criminal Court approved a police request for detention on Friday.
The 41-year-old founder and CEO of the well-known online business appeared stressed as he was escorted from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to the court on Ratchadaphisek Road.
Police opposed bail, citing collusion with other suspects and the systematic nature of their offences, which have impacted society and involved numerous victims. He may pose a flight risk if released temporarily, according to officers.
After examining the police’s request and Mr Warathaphon’s testimony, the court granted the detention request. The suspect did not seek bail and was taken to Bangkok Remand Prison.
Mr Warathaphon was among 18 suspects wanted on charges of colluding in public fraud and inputting false information into a computer system. All denied the allegations.
Seventeen suspects were sent to court on Thursday. All were taken to jail after the court rejected bail requests submitted by three high-profile celebrities, citing flight risk, while the others did not apply for release. The three celebrities are actor Yuranunt “Boss Sam” Pamornmontri, actress Pechaya “Boss Min” Wattanamontree and TV host Kan “Boss Kan” Kantathavorn.
The suspects, referred to as “bosses” within The iCon Group’s marketing hierarchy, were apprehended on Wednesday following over 1,000 fraud complaints. Victims reported that the company lured them with online marketing courses costing less than 100 baht and pressured them into further financial commitments, resulting in substantial losses.
Pol Maj Gen Suwat Saengnum, the CIB deputy commissioner, said Mr Warathaphon wanted to give additional statements concerning his business. Investigators completed their questioning at around 8pm on Thursday before he was taken to court the following morning.
Regarding public scepticism about the firm, Pol Maj Gen Suwat said investigators needed time to work on the case and would collaborate with relevant agencies, promising justice for all involved.
Withoon Keng-ngarm, Mr Warathaphon’s attorney, said on Friday that he would not pursue bail after other suspects were denied release. The lawyer visited his client at the CIB office before court proceedings.
During questioning, Mr Warathaphon insisted that his company operated legally.
On Thursday, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the CIB, questioned Mr Warathaphon about an audio clip featuring a conversation between two men.
The company’s CEO admitted the audio clip that went viral on social media was his own voice. However, he insisted he had never paid bribes to any state agencies as alleged.
His lawyer also refuted claims made by Ekkapop Luangprasert, an adviser to the interior minister, regarding asset conversion into cryptocurrency for bribes.