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AML Unit Sends 'Kok Ann' & Co. Asset Seizure Case to Prosecutors

AML Unit Sends 'Kok Ann' & Co. Asset Seizure Case to Prosecutors

MGR Online•Society•12h ago

Reader Briefing

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has submitted case files involving approximately 13,074 million baht in assets to the Office of the Attorney General, who will petition the Civil Court to seize these assets for the state.

  • •The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has forwarded four major case files to the Attorney General's office for asset seizure.
  • •The total value of assets targeted for seizure is approximately 13,074 million baht, linked to transnational crime, technology crime, and money laundering.
  • •The cases involve individuals such as 'Kok Ann', 'Ben Smith', 'Yim Liek', and 'Chen Zhi', among others implicated in fraud and other illegal activities.
  • •The AMLO has temporarily seized and frozen these assets, with the 90-day window for processing expiring soon.
  • •Victims in these cases may have their losses compensated from the seized assets before they are declared state property.

Overview

  • •On November 2, 2025, the AMLO committee ordered the temporary seizure and freezing of assets in four cases.
  • •The AMLO sent case files for 'Kok Ann', 'Ben Smith', 'Yim Liek', and 'Chen Zhi' with their associates to the Attorney General's office.
  • •The total value of assets to be seized by the Civil Court is approximately 13,074 million baht.
  • •The Attorney General's office will petition the Civil Court to have these assets forfeited to the state.
  • •The four cases involve technology crime, transnational crime, and money laundering activities.
  • •The 90-day processing period for these cases began on December 2, 2025, and will conclude on March 1.
  • •The AMLO is preparing to announce in the Royal Gazette for victims to submit claims for rights protection and asset distribution.
  • •The Attorney General's office will form a working group to review the assets and facts within 90 days, with the court's final decision pending.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Key Quotes

Kamolsit Wongbutnoi
"For all 4 cases, the AML administrative committee ordered the temporary seizure and freezing of assets from December 2, 2025. Therefore, the 90-day timeframe starts from December 2, 2025, ending March 1st. We are confident the Office of the Attorney General will consider it in time without issues."
ทั้ง 4 คดีคณะกรรมการธุรการของ ปปง. ได้มีคำสั่งให้ยึดและอายัดทรัพย์สินชั่วคราวตั้งแต่วันที่ 2 ธันวาคม 2025 ดังนั้นกรอบเวลา 90 วันจึงนับตั้งแต่วันที่ 2 ธันวาคม 2025 ซึ่งจะสิ้นสุดภายในวันที่ 1 มีนาคมนี้ จึงมั่นใจว่า ทางสำนักงานอัยการสูงสุดจะพิจารณาได้ทันและไม่มีปัญหาอย่างแน่นอน
Wuttipong Anun
"If there are victims in the predicate offenses, the AMLO will refer the matter to prosecutors to petition the court to return or compensate victims with the money or assets from their cases instead of ordering them to be forfeited to the state."
หากมีผู้เสียหายในคดีมูลฐาน ทาง ปปง. จะส่งเรื่องให้พนักงานอัยการยื่นคำร้องขอให้ศาลนำเงินหรือทรัพย์สินในรายคดีของผู้เสียหายมาคืนหรือชดใช้ให้แก่ผู้เสียหายแทนการสั่งให้ตกเป็นของแผ่นดินต่อไป

Key Entities

Organization

Anti-Money Laundering Office(ปปง.)ℹ️
The Thai government agency responsible for investigating and combating money laundering and related crimes, here submitting a case for asset seizure.
Office of the Attorney General(สำนักงานอัยการสูงสุด)ℹ️
The Thai government body responsible for prosecuting criminal cases and receiving the AMLO's case files for petitioning the court to seize assets.
Special Cases Office(สำนักงานคดีพิเศษ)
A department within the Office of the Attorney General responsible for handling complex and special legal cases, including the asset seizure petitions from AMLO.
Civil Court(ศาลแพ่ง)ℹ️
The court that will hear the petition from the Office of the Attorney General to order the seizure of the alleged illicit assets for the state.
Prince Group
A multinational business group based in Cambodia, founded by Chen Zhi, whose alleged involvement in fraud and money laundering is part of the AMLO's asset seizure case.
Central Investigation Bureau(กองบัญชาการตำรวจสอบสวนกลาง)ℹ️
The police unit responsible for criminal proceedings related to predicate offenses, with which AMLO coordinates information but is separate from their asset seizure process.

Person

Kok Ann(ก๊ก อาน)
An individual implicated in a case being handled by the AMLO for asset seizure, linked to transnational crime and money laundering.
Ben Smith(เบน สมิธ)
An individual implicated in a case being handled by the AMLO for asset seizure, linked to fraud and money laundering.
Yim Liek(ยิม เลียก)
An individual implicated in a case being handled by the AMLO for asset seizure, linked to fraud and money laundering.
Chen Zhi(เฉิน จื้อ)
The founder and chairman of Prince Group, implicated in a case being handled by the AMLO for asset seizure, linked to online fraud, human trafficking, and cryptocurrency laundering.
Kamolsit Wongbutnoi(กมลสิษฐ์ วงศ์บุตรน้อย)
Deputy Secretary-General of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), who provided details on the seized assets and the timeline for legal proceedings.
Witthaya Neethitham(วิทยา นีติธรรม)
Assistant Secretary-General and Spokesperson for the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), who explained the separation of asset seizure proceedings from criminal proceedings.
Yaowaluck Nontakaew(เยาวลักษณ์ นนทแก้ว)
Director-General of the Special Cases Office, who received the case files from AMLO and outlined the process for establishing a working group to expedite the asset review.
Mr. Eu-angkun(นายเอื้ออังกูร)
An individual implicated in a case being handled by the AMLO for asset seizure, related to a scam involving investment in stock trading via LINE groups.
Sawab Apirut(เสวต อภัยรัตน์)
Spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, who confirmed that the cases involving over ten billion baht would be processed according to legal procedures.