Thai, Nigerian Suspects Arrested in Pattaya Over Romance Scam

Terry Felix On April 29, 2026 - 5:05 am In Asia Pacific 1mn Read

BANGKOK, April 29, 2026 — Thai police have arrested three Nigerian nationals and a Thai woman in Pattaya in connection with a transnational romance scam network that used bank “mule accounts” to channel illicit funds, authorities said.

The suspects were detained on April 28 during a raid on a hotel in central Pattaya by tourist police and regional investigators. Officers seized 12 mobile phones and 12 bank accounts linked to the operation.

Police said the group was part of a wider international fraud network that targeted victims through online romance scams, persuading them to transfer money into accounts controlled by the syndicate.

The Thai suspect, a 41-year-old woman from Chon Buri, allegedly sourced bank accounts for the group and handled cash withdrawals and transfers. Authorities said she received around 2,000 baht per account and additional commissions, with earnings reportedly reaching up to 30,000 baht per day.

Investigators said the funds were quickly moved through intermediary accounts before being transferred to senior figures based overseas, including in Nigeria.

All four suspects have been handed over to Bang Lamung police and face charges under Thailand’s Technology Crime Prevention and Suppression Act, including facilitating the use of bank accounts for criminal activity and participating in an organised crime network.

Police said investigations are ongoing to identify additional members and trace financial flows linked to the network, as part of broader efforts to combat transnational cyber fraud.