Thai woman ‘seduced', extorted senior monks for millions, arrested
The accused, Wilawan Emsawat, who is believed to be in her mid-30s, was arrested at her home in Bangkok's Nonthaburi province.
As a result of the scandal, at least nine abbots and senior monks involved in the scandal have been disrobed and cast out of the monkhood, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said.
Also Read | Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended: Why Thailand ousted two prime ministers in a year
Authorities say she targeted high-ranking monks, lured them into sexual relationships, and then demanded large payouts to keep their affairs secret, the AP news agency reported.
The monks allegedly diverted money from temple accounts to meet Wilawan's financial demands.
A scandal fueled by seduction, extortion
The case came to light after the sudden and unexplained resignation of a prominent abbot in Bangkok, said Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner.
Investigators later uncovered that he had been coerced by Wilawan, who claimed she was pregnant and demanded a staggering 7.2 million baht (approx. $222,000) to remain silent, the news agency reported.
Also Read | Thailand's trade proposal to the US includes zero tariffs on some imports, says finance minister
Police believed "this woman is dangerous and we needed to arrest her as soon as possible", Jaroonkiat said.
Police believe this wasn't an isolated incident. Evidence from Wilawan's mobile phones has revealed tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chat logs indicating intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail.
Trail of money found
Over the past three years, Wilawan reportedly received around 385 million baht (roughly $11.9 million) in her bank accounts—much of it transferred by monks using temple funds.
Also Read | Influencer Sharan Hegde's Thailand moment with Soundous Moufakir grabs attention online
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Wilawan has not made a statement since her arrest, and it was unclear if she has legal representation.
Thai Buddhism under the scanner
The possible violation of the celibacy rule for monks has rocked the country's religious institutions and raised serious questions about temple finances and monk conduct.
Thai monks are largely members of the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and refrain from even touching a woman.
Scandals involving monks surface a few times a year in Thailand, but usually don't involve senior members of the clergy. The case also puts a spotlight on the large sums of money donated to temples controlled by abbots, which is in marked contrast to the abstemious lives they are supposed to lead under their religion's precepts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
A look at status of US executions in 2025
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Washington, Jul 26 (AP) Twenty-six men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and 10 other people are scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025. The next scheduled execution is in Florida, when a man who killed his wife and two children is set to be put to death July 31. Florida also was the last state to execute someone, when Michael Bernard Bell died by lethal injection on July 15. Meanwhile, Florida recently set its 10th execution of the year when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for a man who abducted a woman from an insurance office and killed her 42 years ago. Kayle Bates is scheduled to be executed in August. Alabama, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Utah also have scheduled executions for later this year. Executions have been carried out this year in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The number of executions this year exceeds the 25 executions carried out last year and in 2018. It is the highest total since 2015, when 28 people were put to death. The uptick in executions can be traced to aggressive Republican governors and attorney generals pushing to get through lengthy appeals processes and get executions done, said John Blume, the director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project. A sweeping executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office aimed at urging prosecutors to seek the death penalty and preserving capital punishment in the states also may have fueled the increase, Blume said. All but one execution this year has occurred in states run by Republican governors, with Arizona the exception. Here's a look at recent executions and those scheduled for the rest of the year, by state: Florida Edward J. Zakrzewski is scheduled to be put to death in Florida on July 31 for killing his wife and two young children in 1994 after she sought a divorce. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries." Bates, 67, who is scheduled to be executed Aug. 19, was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, Bay County killing of Janet White. Tennessee Byron Black, 69, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Aug. 5. Black was convicted in 1989 of three counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend, Angela Clay, and her two daughters in Nashville. Black's lawyer asked a judge to require the Tennessee Department of Correction to deactivate an implanted defibrillation device similar to a pacemaker in the moments before his execution. A Tennessee judge ruled Tuesday that the state can deactivate the heart-regulating device at a hospital on the morning of his execution, rather than bringing a doctor or technician into the execution chamber. Black's motion related to his heart device came within a general challenge he and other death row inmates filed against the state's new execution protocol, which took effect this year. The trial isn't until 2026. Harold Nichols, 64, is also scheduled to die by lethal injection on Dec. 11. Nichols was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of Karen Pulley in Hamilton County. Alabama An Alabama judge has postponed the execution of David Lee Roberts, who had been scheduled to be put to death by nitrogen gas Aug. 21. Roberts was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992 while he was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said Roberts packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head while she slept on the couch. Roberts set fire to the home to hide evidence. A Marion County judge issued a stay so Roberts can have a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is too mentally ill to be put to death. The execution will be on hold at least until a report from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is finished. Geoffrey T. West, 49, is scheduled to die by nitrogen gas on Sept. 25 for the killing of convenience store clerk Margaret Parrish Berry during a 1997 robbery in Attalla. If carried out, it would be the nation's sixth execution by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year as an alternative to lethal injection. The method involves supplying nitrogen gas via a respirator mask to an inmate, causing the person to lose consciousness and die from a lack of oxygen. Utah Ralph Leroy Menzies, 67, is scheduled to die by firing squad on Sept. 5. He would become only the sixth U.S. prisoner executed by firing squad since 1977. Menzies, who has dementia, has been on death row for 37 years for abducting and killing mother of three Maurine Hunsaker, 26, in 1986. Judge Matthew Bates signed the death warrant a month after he ruled Menzies 'consistently and rationally" understands why he is facing execution despite recent cognitive decline. Attorneys for Menzies have petitioned the court for a reassessment. Texas Blaine Milam, 35, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Sept. 25. Milam was convicted of killing his girlfriend's 13-month-old daughter during what the couple had said was part of an 'exorcism" in Rusk County in East Texas in 2008. Milam's girlfriend, Jesseca Carson, was also convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Robert Roberson is scheduled to be executed on Oct. 16. Roberson, 58, could become the first person in the U.S. to be put to death for a murder conviction tied to shaken baby syndrome. He was convicted of the 2002 killing of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, in the East Texas city of Palestine. Prosecutors argued he violently shook his daughter back and forth, causing severe head trauma. His lawyers and some medical experts say his daughter died not from abuse but from complications related to pneumonia. Indiana Indiana set a tentative execution date of Oct. 10 for Roy Lee Ward, who was convicted of raping and killing a 15-year-old girl in 2001. But that date could change. Missouri Lance C. Shockley is scheduled to be executed on Oct. 14, according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. Shockley was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dewayne Graham outside his home in Carter County in 2005. Testimony at the trial indicated Graham was killed because he was investigating Shockley for involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. Ohio Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine postponed five executions scheduled for 2025. All five have been delayed until 2028. top videos View all In postponing the executions, DeWine has cited the state's inability to secure the drugs used in lethal injections due to pharmaceutical suppliers' unwillingness. DeWine has said that he does not anticipate any further executions will happen during his term, which runs through 2026. (AP) AS AS (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 04:15 IST News agency-feeds A look at status of US executions in 2025 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
OMC Mining Case: Telangana HC junks AP IAS officer Srilakshmi's criminal revision plea
Hyderabad: Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana high court on Friday dismissed the criminal revision petition filed by senior Andhra Pradesh IAS officer Y Srilakshmi, who is facing allegations of facilitating the illegal mining scam involving mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy and his company, Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC). CBI, which probed the scam, named Srilakshmi as accused No. 6 in the case. The investigation led to the conviction of Janardhan Reddy and his associates, including then AP mines and geology director VD Rajagopal. However, the trial court acquitted former mines minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy and then industries secretary Kripanandam. Justice Lakshman, in his order, held that the questions relating to mining leases, captive mining, and other factual matters must be examined during trial. He observed that the truthfulness of such contentions could not be adjudicated by the high court in a criminal revision petition, and accordingly, dismissed Srilakshmi's plea. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad In her plea, Srilakshmi contended that she merely implemented policy decisions taken by the then AP govgt, which had already favoured OMC. She assumed charge as secretary of industries and mines in May 2006, succeeding Kripanandam, and claimed she had not initiated any new action of her own. Her counsel further argued that the term 'captive mining' was not used at the time due to a Union govt directive prohibiting it and therefore she could not be faulted on that count. It was also submitted that section 27 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 provided her legal protection, as it prohibits prosecution for acts done in good faith under the Act. However, the CBI argued that mining leases were granted, and GOs were issued only after her appointment. It accused her of suppressing material facts from the Centre while obtaining permission for the lease in favour of OMC. The agency alleged she took expedited steps to eliminate rival claimants to benefit OMC. The chargesheet named her as a co-conspirator along with Janardhan Reddy, OMC managing director Srinivas Reddy, and Rajagopal. Notably, the high court had earlier discharged Srilakshmi from the case. However, following a challenge by the CBI, the Supreme Court set aside that order, noting that the high court had not heard the agency's arguments. The apex court remanded the matter, directing the high court to hear both parties and dispose of the matter within three months.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Doomsday mom' Lori Vallow Daybell gets two life sentences in Arizona murder plot
Lori Vallow Daybell, dubbed as the 'Doomsday Mom,' on Friday received two additional life sentences in Arizona for conspiring to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, and her niece's former spouse, Brandon Boudreaux, ABC News reported. Already serving life terms in Idaho for the murders of her children (7-year-old JJ and 16-year-old Tylee) and a romantic rival, this latest verdict extends her convictions across state lines. The sentencing concludes a series of convictions arising from separate trials this spring. Lori Vallow Daybell receives new life sentences in conspiracy cases(AP) Judge, prosecutor slam 'family tragedy' claim Before delivering Lori Vallow Daybell's latest life sentences, Judge Justin Beresky addressing the gravity of her actions and said, 'In the face of such profound damage, a long prison sentence is not merely a punishment, it is a necessary affirmation that our society values justice, protection, and the sanctity of human life." Prosecutor Treena Kay also pushed back against Vallow Daybell's narrative, criticizing her insistence that the murders amounted to a mere 'family tragedy,' calling the claim as dismissive and misleading, according to ABC News. 'A family tragedy does not involve the intentional killing of a person… A family tragedy does not involve working with an accomplice to commit first-degree premeditated murder. And a family tragedy does not involve conspiring with others to kill,' Kay said. Brother Alex Cox tied to murder plots According to the New York Post, prosecutors accused Lori Vallow Daybell of plotting deadly schemes with her brother Alex Cox, who confessed to killing her ex-husband Charles Vallow in July 2019. Vallow, who was served divorce papers just months earlier, stood to gain from a $1 million life insurance payout. She allegedly aimed to marry Chad Daybell and eliminate obstacles in her path. Cox, also believed to have targeted Brandon Boudreaux in a botched shooting later that year, died before facing charges. Authorities say Boudreaux grew suspicious after Charles' death, and nearly killed himself three months later in a separate shooting. Also Read: Lori Vallow Daybell is convicted in her second murder conspiracy case in Arizona Lori Vallow Daybell, despite lacking any legal training, opted to represent herself in both Arizona trials - unlike in Idaho. Her twisted belief that loved ones were 'possessed' by evil drove her chilling decisions. After her latest sentencing, she will return to Idaho to serve time. Vallow married Chad Daybell just weeks after both their spouses died. He now faces the death penalty for the murders of Vallow's children and his wife, Tammy. FAQs What happened to Alex Cox? Alex Cox died in 2019 after admitting to killing Charles Vallow. Is Janis Cox the mother of Lori Vallow? Yes, Janis Cox is Lori Vallow's mother. What books did Chad Daybell write? Chad Daybell authored several doomsday novels, including The Great Gathering and Living on the Edge of Heaven.
