Indictments against two celebrities implicated in the high-profile iCon Group fraud case should have gone ahead because they were likely to have participated in managing the business rather than merely acting as product presenters, according to a source in the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
This was one of several reasons the DSI highlighted in its appeal to prosecutors, seeking to reverse the latter's decision not to indict actor Yuranunt Pamornmontri and actress Pechaya Wattanamontree earlier.
The pair were among 19 individuals accused of fraud concerning the iCon Group case under the 1984 Public Fraud Loan Act. The company specialises in health and beauty products.
Prosecutors had earlier recommended indictments against 17 company executives, sparing Yuranant and Pechaya. The 17 were charged with public fraud, fraudulent borrowing, illegally running a direct sales business, and other related offences.
The alleged offences occurred in Bangkok and other provinces between Aug 12, 2020, and Aug 31, 2024, prompting damage claims totalling 649.9 million baht.
Under Thailand's Special Case Investigation Act (2004), the DSI has the right to contest prosecution decisions and has submitted a formal disagreement to the Attorney General for a final decision.
On Tuesday, the Attorney General's Office (OAG) said the DSI's appeal against the prosecutor's decision not to indict the two celebrities has reached the Department of the Attorney General's Decisions.
This began the process that will end with the Attorney General making the final decision on whether the appeal should be adopted.
The source said the DSI argued in the appeal that both Yuranan and Pechaya knew about the business plan and were allegedly acting as executives in the company rather than product presenters, as they claimed.
They were also alleged to have lured people into buying products and investing in the company. The duo was believed to have been aware the company was allegedly conducting a pyramid scheme. Also, many people have testified that the two celebrities lured them into investing.
AGO spokesman Sakkasem Nisaiyok said the DSI's appeal arrived at the OAG on April 4, and it has since been passed on to the Department of the Attorney General's Decisions.
