An Australian couple was apprehended in Phuket on May 31 for allegedly obtaining 2.5 million baht through a hoax. On May 29, Chinese national Gao Jianjia, 35, reported the incident to the Phaholyothin Police.
After posting on the internet that he was interested in buying cryptocurrency through Binance, a suspect got in touch with him using the Telegram app and offered to buy it from him for 2.5 million baht.
A meeting between the two parties was set up at a bank in Bangkok’s Lad Phrao neighborhood, when Jianjia withdrew 2.5 million baht in cash. Following that, he met a male foreigner.
The foreigner identified himself as a representative and accepted the bag of cash after their internet talk made it clear that he did so. He placed the sack of cash next to him on a chair, according to The Phuket Express.
The sack of cash, however, disappeared as Jianjia waited for the digital currency to be deposited into his account. Before leaving the site, the male foreigner denied having any knowledge of its whereabouts.
Police were able to identify a foreign woman taking the suitcase in the bank after viewing CCTV footage. The foreign couple apparently collaborated to steal the money bag before fleeing to Phuket.
On June 2, the Metropolitan Police Bureau notified TPN Media that they had detained Australian citizens Hinson Lily Jay, 28, and Galletly Joseph, 47. On May 31, the pair was found close to the Thalang Police Station.
The suspects are still being held without having entered a plea or made a statement addressing the accusations as of the time of publication.
