Police urged to act against iCon ‘bosses’

Police have been asked to take action against six so-called “bosses” of The iCon Group, a well-known online business promoter, for public fraud, money laundering and related offences that have affected over 700 victims.
Lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd and Democrat Party MP-turned-activist Tankhun Jitt-itsara filed a complaint on Friday with the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) against the chief executive officer of iCon and several high-profile celebrities. They are accused of public fraud, obtaining loans through deceit, inputting false information into a computer system and money laundering.
Mr Sittra said he had obtained evidence from victims indicating that the firm had no products to sell but instead lured people into investing in online courses like a pyramid scheme.
The six “bosses”, referred to as Boss Paul, Boss Kan, Boss Sam, Boss Min, Boss Peter and Boo Mor Ek, are well-known individuals. The lawyer did not disclose their names but showed their photos to reporters.
The iCon Group has been in the spotlight due to its association with well-known celebrities, such as Yuranunt “Sam” Pamornmontri, Kan “Fluke” Kantathavorn and Pechaya “Min” Wattanamontree. Woratphon “Boss Paul” Waratvorakul, 41, is the CEO of the company.
According to the lawyer, four victims reported that wealthy individuals were invited to have meals with Boss Paul, during which other “bosses” would join and discuss investments rather than actual products. Fine dining experiences were presented, creating an impression of legitimacy. Three victims each invested 250,000 baht, but a year later, they received no products, indicating a clear case of public fraud, said Mr Sittra.
“Celebrities who are at the so-called ‘boss level’ insisted during a press conference yesterday (Oct 10) that they had no authority to sign documents and claimed they were not shareholders, but only marketing assistants,” he said.
“However, after working for the firm for over a year, they must have been aware of the company’s operations, and it’s impossible that they are not.”
He accused the celebrities of participating in public fraud, likening the operation to a pyramid scheme, and questioned Boss Min’s claim about selling 1 million products.
“I really want to ask whether those products exist or not. Who bought them? As far as I know, the products didn’t exist,” the lawyer said. “It was just a scheme to lure people into investing, and those who invested trusted those celebrities because they thought the well-known figures would not cheat them.”
He said those actors and actresses likely received at least 10% in benefits from deceiving members into investing.
“Boss Kan has at least 30 luxury watches worth at least 150 million baht. How can he earn this much income by just being a TV host? He has obtained profits from The iCon Group and possesses luxury cars, houses and other valuables,” said the lawyer.
Mr Sittra urged the Crime Suppression Division to investigate the money trails of the “bosses” and said some victims have considered suicide due to the situation. “Based on the evidence, I believe at least four bosses — Paul, Kan, Peter and Mor — will be in jail for public fraud and money laundering,” he added
Mr Tankhun supported Mr Sittra’s claims that the firm did not focus on selling products but recruiting people to invest.
He noted that those celebrities would receive at least 10% of the profits, and more than 700 people had become victims of the scheme, which is believed to have generated billions of baht annually.
“I’ve learned that some celebrities have transferred their assets to those who are close to them to evade examination,” Mr Tankhun said. “Boss Mor is not a physician, despite the title in his name.” Mor means doctor in Thai.