The first 13 defendants in the Ufun Store multinational pyramid scheme again protested their innocence when they appeared in the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Monday.
They are charged with taking part in a transnational crime syndicate, public fraud, illegal direct sales, putting false information into computer systems and fraudulent borrowing. Prosectors are demanding the defendants pay a total of 351.56 million baht in compensation to 2,451 victims.
On Monday, the Criminal Court began the examination of evidence in the case, and they repeated their pleas of not guilty.
The defendants are: Apicharat Saenkla, 40, Ratthawit Thiti-arunwat, 34, Chaithorn Thonglorlert, 41, Ritthidej Warong, 39, Monpan Thanabundit, 41, Peeraya Kanphrom, 26, Chotipat Wuthipanpokin, 38, Nipaporn Lamee, 36, Theerawat Patcharasuyayai, 21, Natwaran Uttamakaeo, 24, Chaisong Wanasbodiwong, 36, Kevin Lai, 48, and Yang Yuan Zhao.
They have been denied bail.
Public prosecutors told the court on Monday they had not finished reviewing the statements of 3,072 witnesses, and requested a postponement.
They also asked the court to combine the case of the 13 defendants with that of 17 other Ufun-related defendants, but the court turned down the request. It ruled the prosecutors' ongoing procedures on the 17 others would delay the case of the 13 first defendants.
The court agreed to adjourn the examination of evidence in the case of the 13 defendants to Nov 9, 2015.
Public prosecutors arraigned the second group of 17 defendants on Aug 25. They have also been denied bail and a hearing for the examination of evidence in their case was also set for Nov 9.
Attorney-General Trakul Winitnaiyapak brought indictments against 164 suspects, who include foreigners, and 134 of them remain at large -- 130 individuals and four juristic entities.
The transnational Ponzi scam allegedly conned about 120,000 people out of more than 20 billion baht. The investigation expanded to Vanuatu, Malaysia and China where there are also alleged victims.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier instructed officials to investigate the case without fear of any influential figures behind the network.
Ufun Store was granted permission to sell herbal drinks, fruit drinks and cosmetics last year but police later found it was operating a pyramid scheme to bring in new members rather than sell products.
