Cyber Police Arrest Fake Monk-Blessed Scratch Card Ring
Cyber police cracked down on a fraudulent Facebook page that sold scratch cards falsely claiming to be blessed by a revered monk. The operation resulted in arrests in Bangkok and Phayao, and the seizure of equipment and bank accounts linked to over 30 million baht in illicit earnings. Those involved are now facing multiple charges including fraud and money laundering.
Cyber police launched an investigation after receiving complaints about a Facebook page named “Scratch Card Luang Pu Sila 99 V.3” that sold scratch cards featuring the image of Luang Pu Sila Sirichanto from Wat Phra That Meun Hin in Kalasin province, claiming the cards had been blessed by the monk. Officers raided two locations in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district, arresting the page’s administrators and seizing computers, mobile phones, packaging materials, and over a thousand fake scratch cards. A second raid at a residence in Phayao province led to the arrest of the page’s owner and the confiscation of bank accounts used in the scheme, which had generated more than 30 million baht in revenue over three years. Suspects face charges of fraud, computer-related offenses, money laundering, and defamation.
