Charges mount against woman at centre of temple sex scandal
Pol Col Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), said Wilawan 'Sika Golf' Emsawat was charged additionally with fraud in connection with an old complaint from a former director of Buddhism in the northern province of Phichit. 'Sika' is a Thai word that monks use to address a woman.
According to the deputy commander, the former Buddhism official lent 400,000 baht to Ms Golf, who claimed she needed money for medical treatment and pointed out that she had evidence a relationship with a senior monk in Phichit.
The former director filed his complaint in 2016 and the investigation was first revived in 2018, when there was clear evidence of money transactions.
The CSD is also prosecuting Ms Wilawan for alleged extortion of money from a former assistant abbot at popular Wat Sothonwararam in Chachoengsao province.
Pol Col Anek said the woman's methodology was to develop a close relationship with a monk before shifting to money issues. In this case, police had proof the former assistant abbot transferred 8,000 baht to her associate.
Pol Col Anek said the CSD was handling fraud and embezzlement cases concerning 'Sika Golf' and other people, and the police Anti-Corruption Division was proceeding with cases concerning monks' misconduct and embezzlement.
Ms Wilawan was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province on Tuesday and has alredy been charged with supporting a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, laundering money and receiving stolen goods. She is being detained at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok.
According to police sources, Ms Wilawan, aka Sika Golf, is a native of Phichit province. She was the wife of a local politician who left her after learning she phoned lovers at night and received banknotes, coins and daily necessities donated to monks and regifted to her. She reportedly had many pictures of monks on the walls of their home.
The scandal around her activities erupted late last month when the abbot of Wat Tri Thotsathep in Bangkok disappeared. Police suspect she had tried to blackmail him.
Police searched her house and found a number of mobile phones storing about 80,000 sex photos and videos involving many senior monks at many famous temples.
About 15 monks are suspected of having a special relationship with the woman and nine were known to have already left the monkhood as of Wednesday, when an ecclesiastical chief of monks in the northern province of Phisanulok doffed his robes and reverted to being a lay citizen.
Meanwhile, an assistant abbot of Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan in Bangkok has denied he had sexual relations with her, although police have copies of their intimate conversations and his photo on a chat app.
Police said on Tuesday that about 385 million baht was paid into Ms Wilawan's bank accounts over the past three years and she lost most of it gambling online.
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