Daughter jailed for 20 years for stealing THB 250 million from mother’s bank accounts
A 56-year-old woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined 123 million baht by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court on Thursday for falsifying documents in order to steal more than 250 million baht from her bedridden 82-year-old mother.
Mawadee Sriwirat was found guilty of colluding to falsify documents to siphon money from the bank accounts of her mother, Huai.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, said that Mawadee and four staff of Kasikorn Bank colluded in the crime.
While her mother was seriously ill, Mawadee was accused of changing the conditions of withdrawing money from Huai’s accounts at two bank branches with the help of bank staff, according to the lawsuit.
Instead of requiring a signature, Mawadee and her accomplices changed the process so that only a thumbprint was required.
This allowed her to withdraw more than 250 million from Huai’s bank, which she did in scores of small transactions.
Huai was unaware that her signature was no longer required to withdraw cash from her bank accounts.
The court found Mawadee guilty of falsifying documents and 84 counts of theft. The court also ordered her to repay 123 million baht to her mother – the plaintiff in the case.
One of the four bank officials who were co-defendants was sentenced to two years in prison, while the other three were acquitted.
In a separate civil case, Huai sued Kasikorn Bank, the four bank employees, and her daughter Mawadee, demanding 350.3 million baht in damages in connection with the theft. The civil case is being tried by the Phra Khanong Civil Court.
