Heavy Sentence for Money-Laundering Thai Monk

Published: 09 August 2018

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Buddhist Temple in Bangkok

By Tibor Rácz

Former Thai Buddhist monk, Wirapol Sukphol has been sentenced to 114 year in prison on convictions for fraud, money laundering and computer crimes.

He will actually serve only 20 years, because Thai law sets that as a maximum for anyone found guilty of multiple counts of the same offense, reported Reuters.

According to reports, Thailand's Anti-Money Laundering Office discovered 41 bank accounts linked to Wirapol, Authorities found that he collected funds from wealthy followers, and in some of his accounts he kept about $ 5.9 million in circulation.

Between 2009 and 2011 he bought 22 Mercedes worth $ 2.8million, and at one point held about $ 32 million in his accounts. 

The monk faces legal trouble for more than money crimes. He is also accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, a case in which a verdict is expected in October, reported the New York Times

This accusation prompted him to flee to the US, from where he was extradited back to Thailand last year.

Sukphol became infamous in 2013 after he showed up in a Youtube video  (no longer available) in his monk’s robe aboard a private jet, sparking an outcry over his behavior.  He was expelled from the monkhood after.

Neither Wirapol nor his lawyer was available for comment to media..