Anutin admits knowing but not being close to ‘Ben Smith’
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has acknowledged knowing controversial businessman Benjamin “Ben Smith” Mauerberger but insists they are not close and shared no business dealings. The statement follows viral photos and rising political scrutiny amid Thailand’s major crackdown on transnational scam networks.
PM Anutin Confirms Acquaintance With Controversial Businessman
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Thursday acknowledged that he knew the controversial South African businessman known as Ben Smith, but insisted he was not close to him and had no business dealings with him.
“Let’s put it this way — he is a friend of a friend of a friend,” Anutin told reporters pressing him about his ties with Benjamin Mauerberger, widely known by the alias Ben Smith. “So if you ask me whether I know him, I’ll say, ‘Yes, I do.’”
Photos With Anutin Go Viral Amid Anti-Scam Crackdown
Reporters confronted Anutin after photos of him with Mauerberger surfaced online and quickly went viral on Wednesday.
The images circulated shortly after Anutin held a major press conference announcing a nationwide crackdown and asset seizures linked to transnational scam networks. The timing fueled political speculation.
Anutin clarified that the photos with Mauerberger were taken in 2014 during a casual meeting in Singapore. He stressed he had no personal relationship or recent contact with him.
He also hinted that the source of the leaked photos was widely understood among reporters: “Everybody knows who did it, and the reporters know too,” he said without elaborating.
Anutin Denies Business Connection
According to Anutin, he only had a brief conversation with Mauerberger in 2014 and later encountered him by chance “five or six times” at social events, exchanging only greetings.
When asked if the release of the photos was part of a political attack, Anutin responded: “You can figure it out. I don’t contact him, and I have no business or transactions with him.”
He also claimed that during his tenure as interior minister in the previous Pheu Thai-led government, he refused to approve Thai citizenship for Mauerberger. This, he said, contributed to political pressure to move him from the Interior Ministry to the Health Ministry — a transfer he rejected, prompting him to leave the coalition.
“I didn’t take it. They didn’t kick me out of the coalition — I pulled out. The Bhumjaithai Party wasn’t removed from government, but we were asked to give up the Interior portfolio, and we refused,” Anutin said.
Potential Arrest Warrant Depends on Police Investigation
When asked whether authorities would issue an arrest warrant for Mauerberger, Anutin said the decision rests with the police.
“Under the rule of law, anyone implicated in the investigation will face an arrest warrant,” he said.
A reporter suggested Anutin was reluctant to take action against Mauerberger, to which he sharply replied: “You know nothing.”
Who Is Benjamin Mauerberger, Alias ‘Ben Smith’?
Mauerberger’s notoriety stems from allegations linking him to transnational organized crime, including:
- Large-scale online scam networks
- Money laundering
- Human trafficking operations based in Cambodia
- Channeling illicit funds into Thailand
The issue gained public attention after People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome raised it during a parliamentary debate. He alleged ties between “Ben Smith” and influential political figures in Cambodia and Thailand, including connections to Cambodian leaders Hun Sen and Hun Manet, as well as Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow.
The allegations are supported by reporting from investigative journalist Tom Wright, renowned for exposing the 1MDB scandal, and his team, who detailed Mauerberger's alleged “shadow empire” in Southeast Asia.
