Police building case against fugitive swindlers Ben Smith and wife

Couple fled Thailand, billion baht case dates back to 2016

Police searched six locations for more evidence against accused international swindlers Ben Smith and his wife on Monday, after the Criminal Court approved arrest warrants for the fugitive couple.

Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaowanasai, chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said police sought the warrants at the court on Thursday and searched six buildings and properties in central provinces on Monday.

The CIB commander did not clarify whether the warrants were approved on the same day they were requested.

Ben Smith is also known internationally as Benjamin Maurerberger.

Police charged the 47-year-old South African and his wife Cattaliya Beevor, 40, on two serious counts, fraud and money laundering causing about 1 billion baht in damages.

The alleged crimes were committed in 2016, when Mr Smith lured victims to invest in several projects.

The projects included:

• 700 million baht in now delisted Pace Development real estate stocks, 255 
• 255 million baht in buying a private jet for leasing
• 126 million baht in power plant investment

The pair left Thailand last year after the break up of the financial empires of Cambodian businessman Yim Leak and Chinese-Cambodian Chen Zhi, who founded the US-sanctioned Prince Group, according to Pol Lt Col Arthirat Thipcharoen, division 3 chief at the Crime Suppression Division.

Police searches at the six places led to the seizure of 13 items. There were six people at the premises.

Pol Lt Col Arthirat said police suspected the six were involved in transferring money from the victims to Mr Smith and his wife, but none had been charged.

On Friday, the Civil Court ordered the confiscation of more than 13 billion baht in assets in four scam network cases linked to Mr Smith and other scam bosses, at the request of the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Pol Lt Col Arthirat said the latest police charges and evidence seizures on Monday relate to another case against Mr Smith and his wife. He did not elaborate.