KHON KAEN, Thailand – Cyber police arrest influencer over gambling links disguised as 18+ live show
Cyber police have arrested a 23-year-old female influencer in Khon Kaen for allegedly promoting online gambling websites through social media links disguised as invitations to watch explicit live-streaming content. The woman, identified as Tharnthip, has more than 640,000 followers across Facebook and TikTok. She was arrested at her apartment in central Khon Kaen on November 6, following an investigation by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau.
Police said they identified two Instagram accounts allegedly promoting online gambling websites through stories featuring suggestive photographs and links. One account had more than 230,000 followers and was connected to Facebook and TikTok accounts with a combined following of around 640,000. Investigators found that the accounts also advertised an alleged 18+ live show featuring the influencer and another person. Followers were encouraged to add a Line account to gain access to a private VIP group.
Police officers posing as potential customers contacted the account and received promotional messages, photographs of the influencer and blurred explicit images. They were asked to pay 100 baht to join the group and view uncensored clips. However, investigators found that the process instead directed users to register with an online gambling website. No explicit live show featuring the influencer was provided.
After tracing the accounts, officers obtained a court warrant to search an apartment on Thantawan Road in Khon Kaen. They found Tharnthip living there with her boyfriend and seized a mobile phone.
During questioning, she acknowledged owning the social media accounts. She told police that after graduating she had no regular income and earned money through gambling website promotions, product reviews and live-streaming work.
She said she received between 200 and 500 baht for each promotional story posted on an account and had previously promoted more than 10 gambling websites. She denied being responsible for or having knowledge of the gambling websites and explicit material, saying the VIP invitation was a tactic to attract followers.
Police charged her with advertising or directly or indirectly inviting others to participate in unauthorized gambling. She was handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.
Cyber police are continuing their investigation into the gambling websites she allegedly promoted and other people involved. Police also warned influencers against accepting online gambling promotions, saying social media accounts, particularly those with large followings, were being monitored and evidence would be gathered for prosecution where offences were found.
