iCon may lose licence over fraud claims

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) is considering revoking the licence of scandal-hit The iCon Group, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Jiraporn Sindhuprai said.
The direct sales company has allegedly been involved in public fraud and pyramid schemes.
Ms Jiraporn said on Tuesday that OCPB is now gathering evidence and information to ensure the company’s business licence withdrawal is done justly.
The Council of State is scheduled to discuss the matter on Wednesday.
Ms Jiraporn disagreed that the case had proceeded slowly, saying that authorities had to follow the related laws and measures strictly.
Regarding an internal probe against OCPB officers who allegedly worked as The iCon Group’s “guidance angels”, Ms Jiraporn said that the probe had been extended for another 30 days and was expected to wrap up on Dec 16.
In related news, Pol Maj Woranan Srilam, a DSI spokesman, said the DSI would go to Bangkok Remand Prison to further question 11 male suspects in the case on Wednesday and on Thursday.
DSI investigators earlier went to the prison to notify the suspects of their charges and conducted interrogations, but they failed to provide any information, Pol Maj Woranan said.
The suspects said they wished to submit a document to prove their innocence within 15 days, but no documents have been received by the DSI yet.
The DSI did not have to conduct additional questioning with the seven female suspects who were detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution because all of them had already given their statements.
The DSI also obtained a voice recording of a conversation between Kritanong Suwannawong, a mediator between The iCon Group and its alleged victims, and another individual on Monday about a 10-million-baht payment allegedly made to the DSI. The recording will be sent to the forensic investigation division of the Central Institute of Forensic Science.