Alleged overseas victims of iCon Group file police complaint
Most of alleged victims are vendors who specialise in selling Thai products abroad
A representative of overseas victims has filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) against the executives of The iCon Group, alleging that victims are spread across 10 countries, with damages exceeding 20 million baht.
Ittidet Thaneswatana, the representative of the foreign victims, submitted documents to Police Lt Col Parinya Pala of the CPPD to initiate legal proceedings against executives of The iCon Group Co Ltd.
Ittidet said he came on behalf of both Thai and foreign victims in more than 10 countries and regions, including China, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Germany, Canada, Estonia and Luxembourg.
Most of the victims did not intend to become distributors but genuinely wanted to sell iCon Group products. The common form of fraud involved transferring money to pay for goods intended for sale, but never receiving the products. They were told by The iCon Group in Thailand to wait, but the products never arrived.
Most of the victims are vendors who specialise in selling Thai products abroad. They were drawn to the company after seeing advertisements on Facebook, which featured celebrities involved with the company. Some victims had even met the executives and celebrities in person overseas, which further strengthened their trust and prompted them to want to sell the products abroad.
“As of now, there are more than 40 victims, 20 in Asia and 20 in Europe, totalling more than 20 million baht in damages,” Ittidet said.
He mentioned a Thai victim in Hong Kong who invested more than 1 million baht to order products, including cocoa powder, coffee, cream, and collagen. While this person did receive the products, the quantities did not match the order. When they tried to contact the distributor who had recommended the purchase, no one accepted any responsibility.
Apart from the Thai victim in Hong Kong, there are also Chinese and other foreign victims, many of whom are concerned about pursuing legal action because of language barriers and travel costs. Some may authorise relatives or acquaintances in Thailand to provide testimony to CPPD investigators. The victims hope to recover their money through the complaint.
The police have disclosed that this case involves international jurisdiction. After reviewing the submitted documents, they will proceed according to the law and may invite public prosecutors to assist in the investigation.
