Thai cops bust monk-led gang of 'palace imposters'
A gang of Thai con-artists, led by a monk, have been arrested after masquerading as palace officials to dupe couples into paying for bogus royal visits to their weddings, police said Friday.
The three women and five men, including a monk who allegedly ran the racket, were detained on fraud charges after operating the scam for several years, reportedly raking in over $500,000.
"The monk and his people asked some couples to pay money for special 'high-up' (royal) individuals to attend their weddings," Police Colonel Pumin Pumpunmuang, a regional commander overseeing the case, told AFP.
They faked documents from the royal household bureau to add credence to their cover story, he said, adding cops finally uncovered the scam after a victim complained.
The gang has been operating out of provinces bordering Bangkok for several years, Pumin added.
He declined to comment on whether the gang were also charged with royal defamation, a crime carrying to 15 years in prison per offence.
