How Tantai’s online gambling, film piracy and hybrid money-laundering case ended in non-prosecution
DSI withdrew arrest warrants for Tantai Narongkoon and five others after prosecutors issued final non-prosecution orders in the THB4.5bn case
- Thailand's Attorney-General issued a final order not to prosecute Tantai Narongkoon and five other suspects in a money-laundering case linked to film piracy and online gambling.
- The final decision was made by the Attorney-General to resolve a disagreement between the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which recommended prosecution, and prosecutors who had decided not to indict.
- The case involved allegations of copyright infringement, using a pirated-film website to advertise online gambling, and laundering money, with alleged damages exceeding 4.5 billion baht.
- Following the non-prosecution order, the DSI withdrew the arrest warrants for the six suspects, and Tantai was released upon his return to Thailand.
Thailand’s Attorney-General has issued a final order not to prosecute Tantai Narongkoon, chief executive of Titan Capital Group Holdings, and five other suspects in a money-laundering case involving alleged losses of more than 4.5 billion baht.
The order led the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to seek the withdrawal of arrest warrants for the six suspects.
Tantai returned to Thailand on August 11 and was released after the warrant against him was withdrawn.
A letter dated August 6 from special-case prosecutors notified the DSI of the Attorney-General’s decision and asked the department to petition the court to cancel the outstanding warrants.
The six were among 11 suspects in a case involving alleged conspiracy to commit money laundering and joint money laundering.
The investigation was linked to alleged copyright infringement through a pirated-film website, money laundering and connections to online gambling websites.
Attorney-General settles disagreement over prosecution
DSI investigators had initially recommended that the suspects be prosecuted.
Prosecutors subsequently decided not to indict them, prompting the DSI director-general to disagree and recommend prosecution.
The conflicting opinions were then referred to the Attorney-General for a final decision.
The Attorney-General ultimately ordered no prosecution of Tantai, who was listed as suspect No.3, as well as suspects Nos.5, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
The allegations against the six included conspiring with two or more people to commit money laundering, committing money laundering following such a conspiracy and jointly laundering money.
The report cited Sections 3, 5, 9 and 60 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act B.E. 2542 (1999), subsequent amendments to the law, Sections 83 and 41 of the Criminal Code and related legislation.
Earlier in the case, the DSI sought arrest warrants over alleged infringement of foreign-film copyrights and alleged use of a pirated-film website to carry advertisements for online gambling sites.
Tantai released after return to Thailand
Tantai arrived back in Thailand at about 11am on August 11 and was initially held while DSI investigators applied to have his arrest warrant withdrawn.
He was released after the withdrawal was completed.
The case had involved 11 suspects in total.
The allegations covered conduct spanning online gambling and money laundering cases in 2020-21, followed by allegations involving a pirated-film website, copyright infringement and money laundering in 2022-23.
Investigators had alleged that the pirated-film website was used to advertise online gambling sites and generate revenue, with the case involving alleged damages of more than 4.5 billion baht.
The latest procedural status is that the Attorney-General has issued a final non-prosecution order covering the six suspects and the DSI has withdrawn their arrest warrants.
Further details will be reported separately.
Source: NationTV
