PHUKET – Cyber police have arrested a 42-year-old Ukrainian woman wanted in a major U.S. online fraud case tied to a Ponzi scheme. Investigators say the damage tops $340 million, or about 10.6 billion baht. She was found staying in a condominium in Phuket.
At 11:00 a.m. on February 19, 2026, officials from Thailand’s Cyber Police Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) announced the arrest at their headquarters in Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret, Nonthaburi. Senior officers said the operation followed a request from U.S. security and law enforcement agencies for help locating and detaining the suspect.
Police identified the woman as Ms. Ole, a key suspect sought by U.S. authorities. According to the case details shared by investigators, she allegedly targeted American victims through an online Ponzi or pyramid-style investment scam. U.S. prosecutors plan to pursue charges related to electronic wire fraud conspiracy under U.S. law.
Investigators said the suspect entered Thailand around December 2025 and kept a low profile in Phuket. After tracking her location, the cyber police gathered evidence and obtained a search warrant from the Phuket Provincial Court. Officers then searched the condo unit and took her into custody.
During the search, police seized several items for examination, including mobile phones, computers, laptops, an iPad, and various documents.
The suspect denied the allegations and said she would provide her statement in court. Authorities transferred her to prosecutors at the Office of International Affairs under the Office of the Attorney General.
U.S. agencies, including the FBI, HSI, and the USSS, observed the process as officials moved forward under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) procedures and prepared for extradition steps under the law.
