DSI Arrested Team Leader of Mae Manee Ponzi Scheme While Attempting to Travel Abroad for Birthday Celebration

DSI Arrested Team Leader of Mae Manee Ponzi Scheme While Attempting to Travel Abroad for Birthday Celebration

On Thursday, July 3, 2025, at approximately 1:00 PM, the Surveillance and Intelligence Center, in coordination with the Investigation and Suppression Sub-division of Immigration Division 2, arrested Ms. Panhathai, also known as Ms. Narissara (surname withheld), a team leader in the Mae Manee ponzi scheme, according to Criminal Court Arrest Warrant No. 26/2566, dated September 26, 2023, under Special Case No. 9/2563. The suspect is charged with joint borrowing regarded as public fraud and joint public fraud.

Authorities apprehended the suspect at the departure hall, 4th floor, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province, as she was preparing to depart the country to celebrate her birthday. During the arrest, the officers informed the suspect of the charges and her legal rights under the Criminal Procedure Code, including the requirement to continuously record video and audio during the arrest and detention process, in accordance with the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, B.E. 2565 (2022). Upon acknowledgment of the charges, the suspect was then transferred to special case inquiry officials from the Bureau of Illegal Financial Business Crime for further legal proceedings.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Anon Untrijan, Director of the Illegal Financial Business Bureau, assigned Miss Prim Sariya, Head of the Illegal Financial Business Crime Division 2, and Police Lieutenant Worawan Rakphayak, Special Case Officer, Professional Level, to take custody of Ms. Panhathai / Ms. Narissara (surname withheld), a suspect under Special Case No. 9/2563 for further interrogation and subsequent remand.

As for the case, Ms. Wantanee (surname withheld), widely known as "Mae Manee," along with 31 accomplices, deceived the public by advertising online through Facebook posts and livestreams accounts such as "มณีรัตน์ สุรางค์มธุรสธรรมสว่างกุล," "Nadear Wanthanee," "มั่งมี ศรีสุข บารมี เพิ่มพูน," and "ฝากยอด ต่ออนาคต.", claiming to offer deposit and savings schemes starting at 1,000 baht, with a promised monthly return of 93% and repayment of both principal and interest. The scheme operated on the premise of persuading victims to invest with "Mae Manee" for high returns of 93 percent upon completion of a one-month term.

Further advertisements also promoted various investment rates, falsely promising annual returns ranging from 1,116% to 3,040.45%, far exceeding the legal interest rate permitted by financial institutions under the law on lending interest. These fraudulent claims misled thousands of individuals, with 1,133 investors involved in this case alone, causing public losses exceeding 200 million baht.