The operation followed a request from United States law enforcement authorities seeking Thailand’s assistance in locating and extraditing the suspect, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) reported.
CCIB Commander Pol Lt Gen Surapol Prembutra said the arrest was made in response to coordination between the Royal Thai Police and US security agencies. The Ukrainian national is wanted on charges of conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, or wire fraud, in connection with a Ponzi-style investment scheme that allegedly caused losses exceeding US$340 million, equivalent to more than B10.6bn.
According to police, the alleged offence falls under Section 1349, Book 18 of the United States Code, carrying a penalty of more than one year’s imprisonment.
Pol Lt Gen Surapol assigned senior officers, including Pol Maj Gen Sila Kancharak of CCIB Division 5, to oversee the investigation. A team led by Pol Col Theera Chuesuwan, Superintendent of Division 1, CCIB 5, conducted intelligence-gathering operations that eventually traced the suspect to a condominium in Chalong, Mueang Phuket District.
Investigators subsequently sought and obtained a search warrant from the Phuket Provincial Court, the CCIB reported.
The warrant was executed by officers from CCIB Division 1, Immigration Bureau 5 and Phuket Immigration, in coordination with the Phuket Provincial Forensic Science Division and Chalong Police.
Of note, Phuket Immigration, Phuket Provincial Police and Chalong Police all have yet to directly report the arrest, which was initially announced at a press conference held by the CCIB in Bangkok on Thursday (Feb 19).
The CCIB reported that during the search of the condo unit, the location of which was not revealed, officers arrested the suspect under a Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in relation to the US charges. Police also seized several items as evidence, including mobile phones, computer equipment, a laptop, an iPad and important documents.
Police said the suspect denied all allegations and expressed her intention to contest the case in court.
Following the arrest, officers transferred the suspect to the Office of the Attorney General’s Foreign Affairs Division to begin formal extradition proceedings. Representatives from US agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Secret Service (USSS), observed the process.
The CCIB assured that the extradition will proceed in accordance with Thailand’s legal framework and under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Thailand and the United States.