One of Thailand’s best-known anti-crime campaigners has been jailed pending trial after cyber police accused him of involvement in an illegal online boxing betting operation that allegedly handled more than $29 million.
Who is that? The Puncher?
Atchariya Ruangrattanapong, chairman of the Crime Victims Assistance Club and a longtime vocal critic of alleged police corruption, was denied bail Monday, October 5, after appearing at Bangkok Criminal Court.
Now, this looks quite interesting, especially in light of the accusation mentioned earlier.
Why is the corruption only
alleged?
Are you trying to say there’s no corruption there?
Atchariya faces allegations of public fraud, money laundering, illegal electronic betting on boxing, and offenses under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act. He denies all the charges and has suggested the investigation is politically motivated.
Given his activities as an anti-crime crusader, it is quite possible that the investigation is political in nature and that the "
allegedly" corrupt police are trying to "take out" their enemy.
On the other hand, no criminal has ever considered himself guilty.
Cybercrime officers arrested him Saturday near the Om Noi Boxing Stadium in Samut Sakhon province under a warrant issued the previous day.
Well, it’s a good thing there was a warrant, at least - in some countries, they detain people even without it.
$1B Baht Betting Network
Police say more than 1 billion baht, or approximately US$29.6 million, flowed through an alleged online Muay Thai betting operation known as “Muay Pak Yok Variety.”
Isn't that a rather large sum for a resident of Thailand (even a criminal)?
Investigators identified 212 transactions worth more than 40 million baht ($1.2 million) that they claim linked Atchariya to people associated with the betting operation.
Wait, I don't get it: the figure was US$29.6 million, but now it's just US$1.2 million. Where did the rest of the money go? Is this that very instance of
alleged corruption?
Authorities also examined Atchariya’s personal bank account and an account belonging to the Crime Victims Assistance Club.
Police say the personal account recorded 1,196 incoming and outgoing transactions involving approximately 191 million baht ($57 million), while the club account handled more than 168 million baht ($50 million) through 5,140 transactions. Investigators claim some of the money trail connected donors to boxing gamblers and the alleged betting network.
Hmm, also claim that Thailand is a poor country.
Just look at these numbers!
But at this moment doubts creep in about The Puncher’s “innocence”.
In fact, this is quite ironic, because The Puncher used his personal account for “dirty deeds”?
By the way, why haven’t they thought of betting on Thai boxing for crypto currencies yet?
More seriously, police allege Atchariya solicited donations through the club on the basis that the money would be used to assist crime victims, but some funds were instead used for purposes connected to gambling.
If this is true, it is the most ironic aspect of this story, for the "crusader against corrupt crime" turns out to have been corrupt himself, in a sense.
Claims He Is Being Framed
The activist has spent years publicly challenging law enforcement and pursuing high-profile criminal cases. His Crime Victims Assistance Club frequently campaigns on behalf of people who believe they have been failed by police or the justice system.
I’m getting confused now: who’s the
good bad cop in this story, and who’s the "dirty" anti-crime
The Puncher?
In reality, cops have simpler ways to frame someone than untangling a web of Muay Thai betting mixed with the misappropriation of donations intended for a Crime Victims Assistance Club.
