On December 23, at the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Special Cases, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) submitted a case against Mr. Waratphon, also known as "Boss Paul," and 18 others, including The Icon Group Co., Ltd. The case involves charges of fraud and violations under the Computer-Related Crime Act.
The investigation, led by DSI Deputy Director Rtd. Pol. Col. Wisanu Chimtrakool and other senior officials, presented evidence comprising 348,209 pages of documents and testimony from 8,071 witnesses, with 7,875 victims claiming a total loss of 1.644 billion baht. The case was handed over to Ms. Yaowalak Nonthakaew, Director-General of the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Special Cases, and her team for further action.
Ms. Yaowalak announced the formation of a working group of five to six prosecutors to review the case, led by the Special Prosecutor for Special Cases 1. The office has approximately 20 days remaining in the detention period to finalize the case, aiming to expedite its review even during the New Year holiday. She assured the public of fairness to all parties, noting that additional witness requests from the defense could be addressed in court if excluded during this stage.
The case, with its high-profile nature and significant financial damage, is treated as a priority by the Special Prosecutor’s Office. A decision is expected by January 8, 2025, according to Mr. Nakhent Thongpaiwan, a prosecutor involved in the case. He emphasized the thoroughness and urgency of the review process.