First UFUN 13 plead not guilty
APICHANAT Saenkla and 12 other defendants accused of links to the UFUN "pyramid scheme" yesterday pleaded not guilty to five charges, including public fraud and violating the Transnational Organised Crime Act.
Prosecutors demanded that the defendants pay 2,451 people who allegedly lost money in the scheme a total of Bt351.5 million in compensation plus 7.5 per cent interest per year until the full payment is made.
The Ratchadapisek Criminal Court has set September 21 as the date for the evidence review session.
An informed source said that Attorney-General Trakul Winit-naiyapak ordered the indictment of 160 people and four juristic persons over the scandal.
The first batch of 13 was presented in court yesterday. Another batch of 17 defendants is due in court on July 28.
The remaining 134 suspects are on the run, but public prosecutors have instructed police investigators to continue hunting for them until the statute of limitations expires in 15 years.
