CityNews – 7th April 2020, 5th region police arrests Somkid Duangprom, 26, for conning 16 people into purchasing face masks which he never delivered to fuel his gambling habits. Following multiple complaints from people who have been cheated, Somkid was arrested on the 5th April and brought in for interrogation.
Using the monikers Sorn Poochil and Ton LZ Somkid allegedly has since been found to have been a career swindler, taking money and failing to deliver a number of products to multiple people. In total the police have tracked down 16 victims who have lost a total of 125,650 baht to Somkid, who was arrested in Saraphee District. Police said that he wove an elaborate scam by often asking one victim to transfer money to another victim, then telling the second victim that a mistake was made, asking them to transfer it to him. This was designed to confuse any money trails as well as build up the confidence in him in the second victim. During interrogation, Somkid revealed that he used to be a food delivery driver, but was fired after they found his criminal record. He failed to find another job because of his record, saying that it forced him to continue his criminal behaviour. Somkid says that he apologises to all the people he has harmed and that he has spent all the money on online gambling and is ready to face his punishment.