A popular Thai YouTuber, Natthamon Khongchak, known as “Nutty,” has been arrested after two years on the run in Indonesia. The 31-year-old influencer, who once dreamed of K-pop stardom, is now facing charges for a massive investment scam that defrauded thousands of her followers out of millions of dollars.
According to South China Morning Post, “Khongchak boasted over 800,000 followers on her YouTube channel, where she went viral with her singing and dancing videos covering popular K-pop groups Blackpink and BTS. She aimed to become a K-pop idol and even made a brief debut in South Korea under the label Dream Cinema.”
In 2022, she launched a forex investment scheme promising her supporters high returns. Khongchak is alleged to have used her fame to promote a fraudulent forex investment scheme. She promised returns of up to 35% annually, luring victims with promises of wealth and financial freedom. When the victims reportedly failed to receive their returns, Khongchak is said to have told them she had made a trading error.
Failed anthem test nailed Nutty
When the promised returns failed to materialize, Khongchak vanished, leaving her followers in the lurch. She and her mother fled to Indonesia, attempting to blend in as locals. Disguised as locals, the duo are reported to have evaded 13 warrants issued by the Thai police Cybercrime Investigation Bureau for Khongchak and two warrants for her mother.
However, their cover was blown when immigration officials suspected their foreign accents and asked her to sing the Indonesian national anthem and recite the country’s constitution.
The duo were arrested in Riau province, Indonesia, and extradited back to Thailand.