Chinese Nationals Arrested in Bangkok for Chinese Pyramid Scheme

BANGKOK – The Immigration Police have arrested a pair of Chinese nationals responsible for defrauding their customers through a pyramid scheme scam, causing losses up to 4 billion baht.

Two Chinese nationals, Mr. Lu Wei and Ms. Chen Hao, were arrested at a hotel in Bangkok’s Huay Khwang District. The pair were reportedly hiding from the Chinese authorities on charges of fraud back in their hometown of Hunan.

Allegedly, both of them have opened an account online to run a pyramid-scheme business selling jewelry and other precious stones to their customers at a very high price. More than 80,000 customers have lost more than 4 billion baht.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Police have also arrested Mr. Miguel Anthony Corcoba Rodriguez and Mr. Victor M. Cortez, who are from Colombia and Guatemala respectively on charges of unlawfully sneaking into the country.

Police believe that the two are also involved in a theft case, both were arrested for trying to steal a diamond-studded necklace worth over Bt3 million from a jewellery shop in Bangkok four years ago.

Officials believe these two suspects might have been plotting another theft, as they snuck back into Thailand after being deported.