Panadda's father, foundation execs now suspects in charity fraud case

The Economic Crime Suppression Division is expanding the charity fraud case against former Miss Thailand Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee to include her father, the treasurer and directors of her foundation, and contractors.

ECSD commander Pol Maj Thatphum Charuprat said on Monday that police ordered Apiwut Pumpa, treasurer of Ms Panadda’s Goodness Foundation, to report for interrogation after finding about 36 million baht had been transferred from the foundation to his four bank accounts.

Mr Apiwut was in the second group of suspects, that also includes a vice president and two directors of the foundation, he said. 

Police have called them in for questioning, particularly about the foundation's accounting practices and financial transactions and compliance with regulations.

Police also summoned two construction contractors who received money from the foundation,  some of it paid through Ms Panadda’s husband Atip "Got" Anantawan. One contractor was hired to build pool villas in Phuket province and the other was paid to construct buildings in Pathum Thani province. They are in the second group.

In the third group of suspects are Ms Panadda’s father, who received about 4.6 million baht from the foundation, and a businessman in Chiang Mai province who received 880,000 baht.

Pol Maj Gen Thatphum said police have frozen 48 bank accounts believed to be involved in the case.

Ms Panadda, 50, who was Miss Thailand in 2000, and her 53-year-old husband, who was Mr Universe 2006, were charged with public fraud, money laundering and computer crime after investigators found hundreds of millions of baht from her charity foundation was spent for personal benefit.

Both appeared in court and were remanded in custody, her to the Central Women’s Correctional Institution and him to the Bangkok Remand Prison, on Saturday pending further investigation.  

Pol Maj Gen Thatphum said  the investigation would be concluded within the police detention period, which can be extended to 84 days, 12 days at time.