French woman arrested over alleged plot to kidnap for THB200m ransom

Sandra Christina, 45, was apprehended by law enforcement on a warrant issued by the Criminal Court at a prominent hotel in the Silom area of Bang Rak district at around 10pm.

The suspect claims a conspiracy against her.

The arrest was prompted by a complaint from a prominent executive of an Australian racehorse breeding company, who said the suspect intended to abduct their seven-year-old daughter to demand ransom of 200 million baht.

Investigation by the authorities reportedly pointed to a criminal organisation that had been causing unrest in Thailand. The authorities allege Sandra was the mastermind of the group.

One of the accomplices, reportedly, had a change of heart and disclosed the plan to the target, prompting a police investigation and the issuance of an arrest warrant for Sandra, the suspected leader of the group.

Further investigations revealed that Sandra was staying with a young Lebanese man, using a strategy of daily hotel rentals for their meetings with the team.

On April 18, police discovered that Sandra had checked into a hotel in the Silom area, leading to her arrest in the hotel room.

During interrogation, Sandra denied any involvement in illicit activities, claiming to be a reputable businesswoman. She said she had been deceived into investing approximately 185 million baht with the Australian man, the husband of a high-profile woman in Thailand.

Subsequently, she claimed that the Australian individual who had deceived her had filed a false complaint about the plot to abduct his daughter, aiming to have her imprisoned in order to clear their debt.

The Lebanese individual Sandra was staying with was someone she had met in Dubai, she said.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing, the authorities said.