The iCon Group case Spreads to Politics After Leaked ‘Deity’ Audio Clips

The iCon Group
Boss Paul, Waratthapon Waratthawarakul, weeps during a TV talk show on Channel 3 on October 14, 2024, after his business giant, The iCon Group, is investigated for fraud and possible Ponzi scheme.

BANGKOK — Public interest in The iCon Group case has shifted from celebrity actors to politicians and government officials. Nearly 1,100 victims have registered, with total damages amounting to no less than 400 million baht.

The case expanded when at least three audio clips were circulated on social media, allegedly featuring a conversation between “Boss Paul” Waratthapon Waratthawarakul, founder and CEO of The iCon Group, and another person believed to be a politician.

The content of the clip references a “deity,” a high-ranking official of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), and a parliamentary Consumer Protection Committee with which this politician could allegedly deal to secure Boss Paul’s business.

Even though Boss Paul had admitted earlier that it was his voice in the clip, on October 15, he posted a message on Facebook demanding that media outlets and social media platforms remove all three audio clips, claiming they caused damage to others. He set a deadline of 11:59 p.m. on October 18 for the removal, threatening legal action for wiretapping and dissemination of information, which carries a penalty of up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 100,000 baht.

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Channel 3’s “Ride the Waves” program reveals audio clip of conversation between Boss Paul and alleged politician, mentioning a “deity” who could help Boss Paul’s business survive and stay safe.

“I feel very guilty that people have implicated politician ‘S’. I feel terrible and apologize for causing trouble. I want to state clearly that I have never given any money to politician ‘S’ as reported, not even a single baht. That clip is very old, from several years ago, at least 2-3 years. The mention of monthly payments was merely an idea to have them as a company consultant,” Boss Paul stated.

However, a few hours after posting, Boss Paul’s page deleted this post.

The Outsiders Investigate the OCPB

Ms. Jiraporn Sinthuprai, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, stated that with additional information implicating the OCPB, the government has elevated the investigation by forming a 7-member committee of external individuals.

This includes representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Royal Thai Police, and the Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office. The committee is to complete its work within 30 days.

As the committee’s duty is to study the facts, they will examine everything, including the audio clips and other related cases.

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Ms. Jiraporn Sinthuprai, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office

Regarding the plaque previously awarded by the OCPB to The iCon Company, Minister Jiraporn stated that investigations revealed the company had misused the award. It was confirmed that this plaque was intended for public benefit, not for business operations. Consequently, the OCPB has sent a letter recalling the award plaque, and the committee will further investigate whether there are additional offenses.

Stricter Measures on House Committee

Mr. Wan Muhamadnor Matha, Speaker of the House of Representatives, addressed the audio clip case implicating parliamentary committees. He urged affected citizens to report to the parliament for further action. Regarding individuals who falsely claim committee membership and take photos in parliament to gain benefits from outsiders, causing damages, a police report has already been filed.

“I will issue a letter to the chairpersons of all 35 standing committees and special committees to review all individuals appointed as advisors or working group members. If any are found to be untrustworthy, they should be considered for removal from the committees. If any advisor or working group member misrepresents their position and causes damage, the committee chairperson who appointed them will be held responsible,” the House Speaker stated.

Mr. Wan Nor further explained that the ethical code for members of parliament extends totheir families and the families of committee members. If a serious incident occurs, it must be sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for legal proceedings. For less severe cases, there are punitive measures within parliamentary procedures, without exception.

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Boss Paul receiving an award plaque for public service activities from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, which he later misused as a product guarantee.

Police to Verify if Voice is Real or AI

Police Major General Charoongkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, stated that the audio clips have been sent to forensic officers for detailed examination to determine if they are genuine human conversations or AI-synthesized voices imitating others, and whether they have been edited.

The investigation division of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) is also gathering information to identify the owner of the voice clips, as they may be considered a victim due to the mention of monetary demands.

If the owner can be identified, they may be invited for questioning. However, at this time, he cannot confirm the ownership of the voice clips or whether they can be used as evidence. They must wait for the forensic results to determine if it’s a real human conversation or AI-synthesized.

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Boss Paul (Waratthapon Waratthawarakul), founder and CEO of The Icon Group, arriving to provide information to the police, insisting that his business is legal, at the Consumer Protection Police Division on October 12, 2024.

Since Boss Paul has admitted in TV shows and interviews that the leaked voice clips are genuine, officials need to invite him to discuss with the ECD whether he intends to file charges. The voice clips mention a ‘deity organization’ that can assist business groups, requiring worship and offerings.

“This is likely just a metaphor used by corrupt individuals seeking illicit benefits. Regardless, if proven to be genuine, the police will make arrests and prosecute, even if it’s a ‘deity’ – we’re not afraid, and there will be no exceptions,” said Police Maj. Gen. Charoongkiat.

PM Orders All Units to Expedite the Case

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has instructed all relevant agencies in the cabinet meeting to take action on this case. For instance, the Royal Thai Police is to provide channels for quick public reporting and to expedite investigations of wrongdoers, with direct reports to the PM at all times. The OCPB is to urgently establish measures to enforce laws or educate the public to prevent such fraud from recurring.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is instructed to strictly enforce laws to prevent the import of uncertified products for sale in direct sales or online systems. The Ministry of Finance is requested to investigate and implement measures to prevent the recurrence of pyramid scheme businesses.

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Boss Kant Kanta Thaworn is among those whose assets have been temporarily seized for 90 days by the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Seize Assets of iCon Bosses

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) later announced that after examining reports and information regarding The iCon Group’s transactions, there is reasonable cause to believe that there may have been transfers, relocations, concealment, or hiding of assets related to the alleged offenses.

Given the urgent nature of the case, the AMLO Secretary-General, using legal authority, has ordered the temporary seizure of assets belonging to The iCon Group Company Limited, Mr. Waratthapon Waratthawarakul (Boss Paul), Mr. Nichaphon Thongmee, Ms. Jittaya Hongupathumchoy, and Mr. Kan Kanta Thaworn (Boss Kan). This temporary seizure will last for a period not exceeding 90 days.

The seized assets include money in securities trading accounts, current accounts, savings accounts, and digital asset trading accounts and digital assets. A total of 11 items have been seized, with an estimated total value of approximately 125,548,076.99 baht, including any accrued interest.

It’s worth noting that the offense of money laundering carries a penalty of imprisonment from one to ten years, or a fine of twenty thousand to two hundred thousand baht, or both imprisonment and fine.

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