Latest news with #abbot
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Woman Allegedly Had Sex with Buddhist Monks — and then Blackmailed Them for More than $11M: Authorities
NEED TO KNOW A Thai woman has been arrested and charged with extortion after investigators allege she blackmailed a handful of monks Thai police allege the woman blackmailed the monks after having sexual relationships with them Authorities allege that the 35-year-old woman received roughly $11.9 million in blackmail payments over the last three yearsPolice in Thailand have arrested a woman who allegedly seduced a group of Buddhist monks, had sexual relationships with them and then blackmailed them. Wilawan Emsawat was arrested Tuesday at her home in the Nonthaburi province north of Bangkok and charged with extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods, according to the Associated Press, Sky News, and The Times. According to the outlets, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said it began investigating the 35-year-old woman after an abbot – the head of a monastery – at a temple in Bangkok had abruptly given up his vocation and left the country last month. Investigators discovered that Emsawat had allegedly been attempting to blackmail the abbot, telling him that she became pregnant after their secret sexual encounter, asking him to pay roughly $222,000 to help with the pregnancy, according to the AP. The Times reported that the abbot fled to Laos after he refused to pay Emsawat and she began telling other monks about their intimacy, which is forbidden under the religious figures' code of celibacy. The outlet reported that authorities then seized five of Emsawat's phones during its investigation and discovered videos and images of her engaging in sexual acts with a number of monks. The AP reported that investigators found 'tens of thousands of photos and videos' on the devices, as well as chats between her and several monks that indicate they had intimate relationships. In total, the outlets reported that nine abbots and senior monks have stepped down from their roles or been thrown out of the monkhood in relation to Emsawat's case. Overall, authorities say Emsawat had received roughly $11.9 million in payments over the last three years – most of which, investigators claim, has been spent on online gambling websites, according to the AP. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Sky News reported that the Thai government has now vowed to expand its investigation as concern about monks breaking celibacy vows has grown across the country. "We will investigate monks across the country," Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner Jaroonkiat Pankaew said, according to the outlet. "I believe that the ripple effects of this investigation will lead to a lot of changes." Read the original article on People
BBC News
16-07-2025
- BBC News
How one woman blackmail monks wit videos afta she do kerewa wit dem
Thai police don arrest one woman wey allegedly get sexual relations wit monks, come later use fotos and videos of di acts to extort money from dem. Di woman, wey police dey call "Ms Golf", bin do kerewa wit at least nine monks, police tok for one press conference on Tuesday, 15 July. Dem believe say she receive around 385 million baht ($11.9m; £8.8m) ova di past three years. Investigators wey search her house see more dan 80,000 fotos and videos she dey use blackmail di monks, police tok-tok pesin tok. Dis scandal na di latest to rock Thailand much respected Buddhist institution, wey in recent years don face plenty allegations of how monks dey engage in sex offences and drug trafficking. Police say di case bin first come dia attention for mid-June, wen dem hear say one abbot for Bangkok suddenly leave di monkhood afta one woman extort am. Di woman, wey police dey call "Ms Golf", bin do kerewa wit at least nine monks, police tok for one press conference on Tuesday, 15 July. Dem believe say she receive around 385 million baht ($11.9m; £8.8m) ova di past three years. Investigators wey search her house see more dan 80,000 fotos and videos she dey use blackmail di monks, police tok-tok pesin tok. Dis scandal na di latest to rock Thailand much respected Buddhist institution, wey in recent years don face plenty allegations of how monks dey engage in sex offences and drug trafficking. Police say di case bin first come dia attention for mid-June, wen dem hear say one abbot for Bangkok suddenly leave di monkhood afta one woman extort am. Ms Golf "bin get relationship" wit di monk for May 2024, police tok. She later claim say she get pikin for am and demand for child support of more dan seven million baht, dem add. Authorities later discover say oda monks bin don also transfer money give Ms Golf – wey police call her "modus operandi". Police add say dem see say she don withdraw almost all di money, and she use some of dem for online gambling. Wen investigators search Ms Golf house earlier dis month, dem seize her phones and found see more dan 80,000 fotos and videos wey she dey use blackmail di monks, police tok. She dey face multiple charges wey include extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods. Police don also open hotline for pipo to report "monks wey dey misbehave". Di scandal don make di Sangha Supreme Council - di governing body for Thai Buddhism – tok say dem go form special committee to review monastic regulations. Di govment also dey push for harsher penalties – wey include fines and jail time - for monks wey breach di monastic code. Dis week, Thailand King Vajiralongkorn bin revoke one royal command wey e issue for June wey e confer higher titles to 81 monks. E say di reason e cancel am na sake of di recent cases of misconduct, wey e say don "cause Buddhists to suffer greatly for dia minds". For Thailand, wia more dan 90% of di population identify as Buddhist, monks dey highly revered. Many Thai men also choose to temporarily ordain as monks to accumulate good karma. But in recent years, di Buddhist institution don dey plagued by scandals. Wirapol Sukphol, one jet-setting monk wey dey known for im lavish lifestyle, bin make international headlines for 2017 wen e dey charged wit sex offences, fraud and money laundering. And for 2022, one temple for di northern province of Phetchabun dey left without any monks afta police arrest all dia four monks for inside one drug raid and dem disrobe dem. Sex dey out of bounds for monks Buddhists monks na veri important pipo for Buddhism religion and dem dey live for monasteries. Dis na place wia many monks dey stay so dem go fit get away from distractions of di world to enable dem show complete devotion to di Buddhist way of life. For monasteries, monks dey spend time to practice dia spirituality and meditate on di teachings of di Buddha wit di hope say dem go reach enlightenment. Monks dey live simple life as dem focus dia time on studying, dem suppose even touch money, and sex dey strictly out of bounds. To see monks wey dey behave badly no dey new for Thailand. Di temptations of modern life don throw up many examples of monks wey get big money, monks wey dey take drugs, dey dance and dey enjoy sexual relations wit men and women or even abusing girls and boys. Temples also dey wey don attract large and dedicated followings, through skilful promotion of charismatic monks and abbots, wey dem say get supernatural powers.
