Ex-beauty queen faces public fraud, money-laundering, computer crime probe

Ms Panadda apologised to donors, will offer personal funds to cover foundation's losses

Police are investigating allegations of public fraud, money laundering and computer crime involving former Miss Thailand Panadda "Boom" Wongphudee, following a scandal over millions of baht spent by her Goodness Foundation. She appeared to place the blame on her husband.

Pol Maj Gen Thatphum Jaruprat, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division, said on Tuesday that Ms Panadda could face all three charges, while her husband, Atip "Got" Anantawan, could be charged with money laundering.

Police are gathering evidence about donations and financial transactions involving the Goodness Foundation. They will question the foundation’s management before concluding the investigation, the commander said.

The investigation followed a complaint filed last week by Boonyanuch Saengsri, owner of the Facebook page “Oilsri and Phong Phueak.” She accused the foundation of public fraud and violations of the Computer Crime Act BE 2007 and money laundering. Ms Boonyanuch said she was one of the foundation’s donors.

Police are examining whether donations were used for purposes other than those intended and whether the foundation complied with financial management regulations. There are allegations that the foundation transferred millions of baht to a contractor to build pool villas in Phuket.

Investigators have found that the Goodness Foundation, which Ms Panadda chaired, raised donations worth hundreds of millions of baht.

On Tuesday, Ms Panadda, who was Miss Thailand in 2000 and is now 50, filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). Reports said she accused Mr Atip and construction contractor Apichart Saelu, who was reportedly hired to build eight pool villas in Thalang district, Phuket province.

Speaking to reporters, Ms Panadda, who is also a social activist and actress, gave few details about her complaint, saying only that she had been wrong to trust a man who had been close to her and whom she had trusted most. She appeared to be referring to her husband. Mr Atip is a real estate investor and former Mr Universe 2016.

She said she filed the complaint to recover as much of her foundation’s lost money as possible and was prepared to use her own money to compensate the foundation.

She apologised to all donors and promised to prove her innocence and not evade the investigation.

CSD commander Pol Maj Gen Patanasak Bupphasuwan said Ms Panadda accused Mr Atip and Mr Apichart of defrauding her foundation of about 50 million baht. He quoted her as saying that the money had been intended to pay for construction of the foundation’s buildings in Pathum Thani province.

The Goodness Foundation started its activities in 2019 and was registered in 2024. It attracted huge interest, raising nearly one billion baht in donations. The foundation mainly oversees disaster relief, legal aid and shelter for vulnerable groups and medical and educational assistance.