Court Sentences Forex 3D Scam Mastermind to 49,110 Years
A Thai court sentenced the mastermind of the Forex 3D online investment scam to 49,110 years in prison for defrauding nearly 10,000 victims of 2.5 billion baht between 2015 and 2020. Actress Savika Chaidet and her family members were acquit
At 9:00 a.m. on August 13, 2025, the Criminal Court on Ratchadamri Road delivered its judgment in Case No. Chor. 853/2564, a fraud prosecution brought by the Office of the Special Criminal Prosecutor against 24 defendants accused of illegal loan solicitation and computer crime. The defendants included operator Abhirak Kotthee, actress Savika Chaidet (known as Pingky), her mother Sarunya Chaidet, and her brother Kittichest Chaidet, among others.
Prosecutors alleged that between November 24, 2015, and September 8, 2020, the defendants defrauded the public by promoting an online foreign exchange trading scheme through the website www.Forex-3D.com and Facebook under the fund name "Forex 30." Defendants claimed to operate a professional investment team and accepted initial investments starting at 500 US dollars (approximately 15,000 baht), later raised to 2,000 US dollars (approximately 50,000 baht). They promised guaranteed principal protection with no losses, requiring only that investors deposit funds to receive dividend returns.
In reality, prosecutors said, the defendants conducted no actual forex trading and operated no legitimate currency exchange business. The scheme deceived 9,842 victims into investing approximately 2.489 billion baht. Most defendants were held in custody during proceedings; actress Savika Chaidet was released on bail set at 5 million baht.
The court acquitted defendants Kittichest Chaidet (Sarayut Chaidet), Savika Chaidet (Pingky), and Sarunya Chaidet. Abhirak Kotthee and five co-defendants were each sentenced to 49,110 years in prison and ordered jointly to pay 4.911 billion baht in restitution to victims.
