{FORIEGN ZONE} ~ Court jails ex-Thai Buddhist monk 114 years for fraud

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A criminal court in Bangkok on Thursday sentenced a former Thai Buddhist monk who provoked outrage with his lavish lifestyle to 114 years in prison for fraud , money laundering and computer crimes .
Wirapol Sukphol , who was seen in a YouTube video in 2013 holding wads of cash on a private jet, returned to Thailand in July 2017 after being extradited from the U . S . where he had fled.

Wirapol , formerly known by his monastic name Luang Pu Nenkham , was expelled from the monkhood in 2013 after the video surfaced .
He was accused of having sexual intercourse – a grave offense for monks – with an underage girl , among other charges.

He later fled to the U. S .
Wirapol , though , he will only serve 20 years because Thai law stipulates that is the maximum for someone found guilty of multiple counts of the same offense .

“ He committed fraud by claiming to have special power to lure in people and he also bought many luxury cars which is considered a money-laundering offense, ” an official at the Department of Special Litigation told Reuters.
The official declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

“ The court found him guilty of multiple offences which resulted in a 114-year jail term when combined , which means he will actually serve 20 years in jail , ” he said .

Neither Wirapol nor his lawyer were available for comment .
Wirapol faces separate charges of child molestation and child abduction . A verdict in that case is expected in October .

Wirapol ’ s high -profile case highlighted a series of sex and money scandals that have rocked Thailand’ s Buddhist clergy in recent years , resulting in calls for reforms of religious institutions.

The military government that came to power after a 2014 coup has stepped up efforts to clean up Buddhism by arresting monks involved in corruption scandals.

The military also introduced a bill that reduces the influence of Buddhism’ s Sangha Supreme Council , the governing body of Buddhist monks.
( Reuters/NAN )


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