Pol Maj Gen Kamol Rianracha, commander of the Counter Corruption Division (CCD), speaks to reporters during raids at 14 locations in seven provinces to find evidence of temple fund fraud, on Sept 21. (CCD photo)The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) on Wednesday accused 19 people, including four senior monks and 13 officials of the National Office of Buddhism, of laundering 140 million baht allegedly obtained through temple fund embezzlement. Amlo representatives filed the complaint with the Counter Corruption Division (CCD) in Bangkok in relation to fund embezzlement at 23 Buddhist temples from 2012 to 2017. The alleged fraud involved budgets from the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) for temple renovation and development, and Buddhism promotion and education. Pol Maj Gen Kamol added that earlier, authorities had charged 10 other people suspected of temple fund fraud worth 60 million baht at 12 temples.

Source: Bangkok Post November 01, 2017 12:17 UTC