Thai women arrested for Nigerian-linked romance scam
Three Thai women have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a large-scale cross-border romance scam linked to Nigerian gangs. According to Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division (CSD), the arrests mark a significant blow to the network that reportedly defrauded victims of nearly 6 billion baht since 2019.
The suspects are identified as 36-year-old Jutharat, 29-year-old Chanjira, and 32-year-old Jiraporn. They were arrested in separate locations: Jutharat in Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao province; Chanjira on Rattanathibet Road, Nonthaburi; and Jiraporn in Betong district, Yala province.
Investigators say the scam network lured Thai victims into online relationships, primarily via social media, by posing as foreigners or promising romance. Once trust was established, the victims were persuaded to transfer money. The Thai women arrested allegedly served as key coordinators within the network. Their roles included recruiting individuals to open bank accounts (so-called “mule” accounts) which then received and laundered the stolen funds on behalf of the syndicate.
The charges against the trio include participation in a transnational criminal organisation, membership in a secret society, money laundering and collusion in fraud. The CSD confirmed the scope of the losses and the cross-border nature of the operations, which involved Nigerian masterminds operating the scam from abroad.
Thai authorities say this arrest underscores increasing cooperation between local law enforcement and international bodies in tackling romance and online investment scams that use fake identities and exploit emotions to defraud victims. Experts warn that the case serves as a reminder of how sophisticated these networks have become and how they leverage global links.
