CHIANG MAI – On April 28, 2026, police in Chiang Mai, Thailand, arrested two Chinese nationals and one Thai woman for operating a dangerous online scam network.
The suspects allegedly forced local Thai victims to manage illegal money transfers. Authorities made the arrests to stop the group from using forced bank accounts to hide funds stolen through widespread cybercrime.
According to a detailed report by MGR Online, Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritthaphon Yisakorn, Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, announced the successful operation on April 29. He stood alongside other senior officers at the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station to share the facts of the investigation. The police formally charged the suspects with running a secret criminal society and engaging in money laundering.
The Suspects Behind the Operation
The authorities identified three main individuals involved in this case. They worked closely together to keep the scam running smoothly. The arrested suspects include:
- Mr. Yang Pengyu: A 23-year-old Chinese citizen.
- Mr. Yang Jie: A 31-year-old Chinese citizen.
- Ms. Apinya: A 24-year-old Thai citizen (police withheld her last name for legal reasons).
The group used a very organized method to steal money and hide their tracks. They divided specific tasks among themselves to secure “mule accounts.” A mule account is a bank account that belongs to a regular person, but criminals control it to move illegal funds.
First, the gang targeted vulnerable Thai residents. Next, they tricked or physically forced these victims into giving up control of their personal bank accounts. The suspects completely hid the true, illegal purpose from the account owners. After securing the accounts, the gang used them to receive large sums of money from various online frauds.
Furthermore, the suspects used the Telegram messaging app to communicate. Telegram offers private, encrypted chats, which helped the gang hide their daily plans from law enforcement. Because the group worked together in a hidden manner to commit crimes, police charged them under Thai law with acting as an “ang-yee,” which means an illegal secret society.
The Investigation and Arrest Timeline
The police investigation moved very quickly once the victims bravely came forward. Here is exactly how the events unfolded:
- February 27 to April 5, 2026: The gang forced victims to make financial transfers within the Mueang Chiang Mai District.
- April 2 to April 23, 2026: Three different victims went to the local police station to file official complaints about the coercion.
- April 24, 2026: Investigators interviewed the victims. They quickly realized the gang was forcing innocent people to act as money mules.
- April 26, 2026: Local police and regional commanders held a strategy meeting to build a solid legal case.
- April 27, 2026: The police submitted evidence to the Chiang Mai Provincial Court. The judge immediately approved the arrest warrants.
- April 28, 2026: A joint task force tracked down and successfully arrested all three suspects.
This alarming case highlights a growing international problem with online fraud. Criminals frequently try to trick ordinary citizens into helping them clean dirty money. Therefore, police strongly advise the public to stay alert.
Never open a bank account for another person. Additionally, you should never allow a stranger to access your banking applications. If you help criminals move money, even by accident, you could face severe prison time for money laundering. The Chiang Mai police will continue to investigate this specific network. They plan to dig deeper to see if more criminals are hiding behind the scenes.
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