Shuffle gamblers identified as investigation of MP continues - Bangkok Post

Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat arrives at the ministry on Wednesday. (Photo: Ministry of Justice) Cybercrime police have identified three Thai nationals who gambled on the online platform Shuffle.com and are preparing to take legal action, while authorities may seize assets belonging to Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap and her husband if evidence warrants it, according to Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat.

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon made the comments on Wednesday as he provided an update on progress in the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe into Shuffle.com, led by investigators from its Technology and Information Case Division.

The investigation centres on allegations that Ms Suchada’s husband, Australian entrepreneur Zhang Taiyang, may be connected to an online gambling and scam network, the minister said.

As part of that investigation, the legal team from the Thai cryptocurrency exchange Bitkub met DSI investigators on Tuesday. They were questioned about 49 customers who transferred more than 100 million baht worth of cryptocurrency to Shuffle.com, which is a crypto-only platform.

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said the company cited technological gaps or limitations that may have made it difficult to screen transactions and determine whether customers were engaging with gambling platforms.

The minister said regulatory agencies overseeing digital asset markets should clarify the responsibilities of service providers, adding that the relevant agencies should be invited to explain current regulations.

Investigators plan to approach all 11 operators licensed and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the case, Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said. (Story continues below)

Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap speaks to reporters on Oct 20 after she and her husband, Zhang Taiyang, emerged from a meeting room at the Department of Special Investigation where Mr Zhang answered questions from investigators about his investments. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

He also said that the police Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) had identified three Thai nationals in Thailand who had gambled on Shuffle.com, with financial records showing transfers to the website.

The exact amounts and frequency of their transactions were still being established. More people were believed to be involved and further summonses were expected, he said.

DSI investigators have already questioned Mr Zhang, but have not yet questioned Ms Suchada, who is a Bhumjaithai MP for Chaiyaphum, according to the minister.

He said investigators should first focus on identifying Shuffle.com users and establishing the extent of their involvement before examining other aspects of the case.

Investigators are seeking to establish what Ms Suchada might have known about Shuffle.com while she was serving as secretary to the digital economy and society minister, given her husband’s 1.4% shareholding in a related company.

Opposition critics have questioned how Shuffle.com appeared to slip through the regulatory cracks and remain accessible to gamblers in Thailand, long after other gambling platforms had been blocked.

They allege that Mr Zhang, as a shareholder, might have benefited from transfers to the website of scam-related funds that had been converted to crypto. 

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said authorities would first examine gambling activities before scrutinising shareholding arrangements, the corporate structure of companies linked to Shuffle.com and the connections among them.

If documentary evidence or other material substantiated the allegations against Ms Suchada and her husband, the DSI could seize and freeze their assets, he said.

Investigators have also questioned former Democrat MP Sirichok Sopha and opposition People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome. They have been responsible for most of the revelations made public about the MP and her husband’s business activities.

Mr Rangsiman, chairman of the House committee on legal affairs, justice and human rights, said he intended to submit evidence gathered by the committee, including official records and meeting reports that could support legal proceedings.