A "popular YouTuber" has been accused of duping people into investing about 2 billion baht in a fraudulent securities investment scheme.
Lawyer Phaisarn Ruangrit on Wednesday led 30 victims to the Central Investigation Bureau’s complaint centre. Their complaint was filed with Pol Capt Apichai Chaisuparb, deputy investigation chief of the Central Economic Crime Suppression Division.
The lawyer did not name the YouTuber, but said she was a popular former singer and dancer who claimed to know many people in entertainment circles.
Mr Phaisarn said many people had complained on the Hone Krasae television programme Facebook page that they had been duped into a bogus investment via a phone app. He looked into the complaints and found out they were all conned by the same fraudster.
He said there were around 6,000 victims. One person had invested as much as 18 million baht.
He learned the accused YouTuber had enticed people into investing in securities trading, with promises of high returns in a short period. She often posted stories on Instagram about profits she gained from her investments, to draw in other people.
Mr Phaisarn said some victims had fallen ill after realising they had been cheated. One took their own life by hanging. He did not say if the victim was a man or a woman.
He said the accused YouTuber had refused to return any money to her victims, claiming that she had been cheated by a broker.
The lawyer said the case was similar to the Forex-3D Ponzi scheme, which lured many people into investing in what they believed to be foreign currency trading, with promises of high returns.
Mr Phaisarn said he had heard the accused YouTuber had already fled to another country.
Victims said the accused woman had claimed to know many singers, but none of them were involved in the fraud, he said.
Pol Capt Apichai said investigators would question all the complainants and examine the evidence before reporting the case to their superior for further action.
