Thai YouTuber Natthamon Khongchak, popularly known as ‘Nutty,’ has been arrested in Indonesia after evading authorities for over two years. Along with her mother, Thaniya Khongchak, Nutty faced multiple arrest warrants in Thailand for their alleged involvement in a financial scam.
The 31-year-old influencer was apprehended in Dumai, Riau province, on October 18, 2024. Both women had been fugitives since July 2022.
Who is Nutty? Nutty gained fame through her YouTube channel, ‘Nutty’s Diary,’ where she showcased her dancing and singing skills, often recreating scenes from popular K-pop groups like Blackpink and BTS. With over 800,000 subscribers, she leveraged her online presence to position herself as an investment guru.
In July 2022, Nutty launched a forex investment scheme, promising her followers high returns of 25% in three months, 30% in six months, and 35% in a year, along with monthly payouts. However, many investors reported that they never received the promised returns, leading Nutty, her mother, and their secretary, Nichaphat Rattanukrom, to flee Thailand.
The failed scheme resulted in over 6,000 investors losing nearly 2 billion baht (approximately $59 million). Nutty later claimed that the funds were lost due to trading errors before her escape.
How Were the Khongchaks Captured? The Khongchaks tried to blend into Indonesian society but caught the attention of immigration authorities because their Thai accent revealed they were non-locals. During questioning, Nutty was asked to sing the Indonesian national anthem but was unable to do so, prompting officials to investigate her identity further.
After their capture, the mother-daughter duo was deported back to Thailand, landing at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok on October 25, where they were handed over to local police. Nutty faces 13 arrest warrants from Thailand's Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau for her alleged role in the investment scam, while her mother is wanted in two related cases. Both are charged with fraud and misleading the public.
Upon their arrival at the immigration bureau, Nutty apologized to her victims but did not provide further details about the case.
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