Pyramid scheme charges on multi-billion-baht The iCon Group direct marketing case

The Department of Special Investigation is listing the suspects who will additionally face fraudulent borrowing, aka pyramid scheme, charges in The iCon Group direct marketing case.
DSI acting secretary-general Yuthana Phraedam said the DSI had discussed The iCon Group case with representatives of the Consumer Protection Board and the Fiscal Policy Office and received useful information to support its plan to charge suspects in the case with fraudulent borrowing or pyramid scheme charges.
Eightteen detained suspects in the case were earlier charged with public fraud and computer crime concerning computer-based invitations to potential dealers to sell its products. Complainants in the case alleged that dealers of the group focused on recruiting new dealers and encouraging their investment in products rather than product marketing.
Pol Maj Yuthana said on Sunday that DSI officials discussed the case with consumer protection and fiscal policy officials on many topics including the business plan of The iCon Group and the sales of its products. Earlier The iCon Group’s chief executive officer said products of the business centred on dietary supplements.
“Interrogators will meet and conclude a list of suspects who will face fraudulent borrowing charges which will be pressed in the near future,” he said. He confirmed that the DSI had enough evidence to back such charges.
Pol Maj Yuthana also said that the DSI was aware that the lawyer of The iCon Group chief executive officer planned to bring 20 witnesses to share information about the case with the DSI on Monday. The DSI would receive useful information from the people, he said.
Meanwhile, Withoon Keng-ngan, lawyer of The iCon Group CEO Waranthaphon “Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul, said the 20 witnesses would form the first group of a total of about 2,400 witnesses who wanted to share their information with the DSI.
The lawyer said he would ask the DSI on Monday how many witnesses it could question on a daily basis.
Referring to the conditions of the 18 detained suspects, Mr Withoon said all suspects already adapted to their new environment and had no tension. Yet, most of them missed and were concerned about their family members, the lawyer said.
He also said that suspects would seek bail of 3 million baht as the Criminal Court had denied bail of 2 million baht that three celebrity suspects had requested.
As of late last month, about 10,000 people complained with police nationwide that they lost about 3 billion baht altogether through their dealership for The iCon Group products.