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
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Soulja Boy arrested in Melrosa: Here's what happened
Rapper DeAndre Cortez Way, better known as Soulja Boy, was arrested early Sunday in Melrose. According to NBC Los Angeles, police stopped the vehicle around 2:30 am local time, then spotted a gun in the car. He was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Way traveled as a passenger. Soulja Boy was arrested in Melrose on Sunday, August 3.(Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP) The Los Angeles Police Department has not released details on what triggered the stop or the weapon specifics. The arrest stemmed from a routine traffic stop. Officers say a gun was visible inside the vehicle. They arrested him shortly after the discovery and took him in for booking. No comment has come from his team, and it is unclear if he has legal representation speaking publicly. Also read: Silo Season 3: Cast, where to watch and everything we know so far Where was Soulja Boy before his arrest? Sources confirmed to TMZ that Soulja Boy was in the car when officers noticed the firearm. He had been out in Hollywood just hours earlier. Fans saw him at his own celebrity tour event on Melrose Ave, and he even posted clips on Instagram from a birthday party at the nightclub Poppy late Saturday night. Early Sunday morning, cops pulled over the vehicle and found the weapon. Details about the firearm remain sketchy. Authorities have not said who else might be involved. Also read: Did Taylor Swift have a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2? Here's why fans think so Who is Soulja Boy? Soulja Boy shot to fame in 2007 with Crank That (Soulja Boy), which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. His debut album quickly followed. He built his brand through social media, was named a Forbes Hip-Hop Cash King in 2010, and signed acts like Lil B and Riff Raff to his label, Stacks on Deck Entertainment. Since then, his career has had ups and downs. Albums like iSouljaBoyTellem and The DeAndre Way saw moderate success. Still, he stuck around through savvy self-promotion online. Grammy nominations and BET awards came his way, and he branched into video games and producing. This is not the first time Soulja Boy has faced legal trouble. In April, a judge ordered him to pay $4 million in a sexual battery case. FAQs Why was Soulja Boy arrested? Police say they found a firearm during a traffic stop in Melrose and booked him as a felon in possession of a weapon. Who is Soulja Boy? Soulja Boy, born DeAndre Cortez Way, is an American rapper famous for 'Crank That.' Did Soulja Boy drive the vehicle? Reports indicate he was a passenger when officers spotted the gun. Do we know what triggered the traffic stop? Authorities have not disclosed why the vehicle was pulled over. Has Soulja Boy commented on the arrest? No public statement has come from the rapper or his representatives yet.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
Chilean rescuers recover bodies of 4 miners trapped in collapsed shaft
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Bogota (Colombia), Aug 3 (AP) The bodies of four out of five miners trapped in a collapsed section of one of Chile's biggest copper mines for three days have been found and identified, an official said Sunday. Rescue workers at the El Teniente mine, about 100 kilometres south of the capital Santiago, are still looking for the fifth miner, identified as Moises Pavez, mine director Andres Music said. The trapped miners were located thanks to GPS devices, but rescue workers had to drill through dozens of metres of rock to reach them. A section of the mine collapsed following a 4.2 magnitude quake on Thursday, killing one worker and injuring nine others. Authorities are investigating whether it was a naturally occurring earthquake or whether mining activity at El Teniente caused the tremor. Chilean prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation to determine whether any safety standards were violated. El Teniente, located in the Andes mountains in central Chile, is the world's largest underground copper mine and is owned by Chilean state company Codelco. Shortly after Thursday's collapse, Codelco halted operations at the affected section of the copper mine and evacuated 3,000 people from the wider site to safe areas. The company cancelled a presentation of its first-half financial results, set for Friday morning, due to the rescue efforts. Chile, the world's largest copper producer, also lies in the seismically active 'Ring of Fire" that surrounds the shores of the Pacific Ocean. (AP) GRS GRS view comments First Published: 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
4 hours ago
- Time of India
'Tool for Biden's campaign': Trump administration accuses former special counsel Jack Smith of political bias; investigation launched
Former special counsel Jack Smith (Image credits: AP) Federal officials have launched an investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith after US President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers accused him of engaging in illegal political activity during his investigations into Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. The US office of special counsel (OSC), an independent federal agency, confirmed to NBC News on Saturday that it is looking into Smith for possible violations of the Hatch Act- a law that bars certain political activities by federal employees. The OSC is distinct from the justice department's special counsel's office, which Smith led during his investigation into Trump. While the OSC cannot bring criminal charges, it can recommend disciplinary action such as removal from the federal workforce. It may also refer findings to the Department of Justice, although that is uncommon. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., formally requested the investigation on Wednesday, accusing Smith of 'unprecedented interference in the 2024 election.' Smith was appointed special counsel by then-attorney general Merrick Garland in November 2022, just three days after Trump announced his presidential bid. He later brought two criminal indictments against Trump in 2023 but stepped down from the role slightly more than a week before Trump's inauguration in January 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your IQ Is 140 If You Can Answer 10 of These Questions Correctly. IQ International Undo Neither case reached trial. 'Jack Smith's legal actions were nothing more than a tool for the Biden and Harris campaigns,' Cotton said in a post on X Wednesday. 'This isn't just unethical, it is very likely illegal campaign activity from a public office.' Cotton also claimed Smith pushed for a 'rushed trial' of Trump, though he has not released specific evidence of illegal conduct. Hatch Act violations are rarely referred to the DOJ. In 2019, the OSC recommended then-President Trump remove White House counselor Kellyanne Conway for Hatch Act violations, but the issue did not lead to prosecution. Meanwhile, Trump's nominee to lead the OSC, Paul Ingrassia, remains stalled in the senate. A White House official said that Ingrassia, a former podcast host with a history of controversial remarks, is currently holding one-on-one meetings with senators as part of the confirmation process.
