Embezzlement suspected as five face probe over missing money from fund for girls

>> At least five senior officials at the Education Ministry are facing an investigation into their roles in the alleged embezzlement of more than 88 million baht from a protection fund supposed to help vulnerable young women.

One of the five suspects, a C8-level female officer, has admitted that the money was transferred to bank accounts of her relatives and friends, according to Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin.

A recent check into the accounts of the Sema Phatthana Chiwit Fund, which is aimed at supporting girls in poor families who may otherwise end up prostitution, showed that more than 88 million baht has been embezzled from the fund since 2008, said Dr Teerakiat.

Established in 1999, the fund received 600 million baht in initial capital raised through a special government lottery draw held on its behalf.

During this time, only about 77 million baht has ever been transferred to the students entitled to receive the money as scholarships, said Dr Teerakiat.

In 2017 alone, the ministry panel tasked with inspecting the fund’s accounts found more than 12 million baht had gone missing, he said.

Students who are entitled to receive scholarships under the programme are being asked by the ministry to lodge a separate police complaint in case they didn’t receive the exact amount of money they had been told they would be granted by the fund, said Dr Teerakiat.

This year, about 3 million baht has been embezzled from the fund, said Karun Sakulpradit, permanent secretary for education.

Following these findings, the ministry has already lodged a complaint with police against the five suspects who have subsequently been transferred pending the results of the investigation, he said.

The ministry has also decided to lodge complaints with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and the Anti-Money Laundering against the suspects.

The female suspect told the ministry’s panel that the 88 million baht was transferred to a total of 19 bank accounts owned by either relatives or friends of hers, said Mr Karun.

The preliminary probe by the ministry found a total of 166.3 million baht had been approved to be awarded as scholarships, but in reality, only 77.5 million baht ever reached students, Mr Karun said.

After her confession, the suspect may be dismissed from her job and face legal action while those who received money embezzled from the fund into their bank accounts will face legal action once the money trail has proven they they willingly took part in the fraud, he said.

This fresh scandal was exposed at the same time as an investigation into alleged embezzlement from a welfare fund under the Social Development and Human Security Ministry is expanding nationwide after a student trainee at the Protection Centre for the Destitute in Khon Kaen blew the whistle on illegal activities at the centre.

The PACC said yesterday it would next file suits against a number of officials at the Security’s Protection Centre for the Destitute in Nakhon Phanom on charges of embezzlement, malfeasance and document forgery.

The team worked mainly in the Na Wa and Na Thom districts when visiting the province, according to PACC suppression division 5 director Kriangkrai Seubsumpham, adding that Nakhon Phanom has now become the 29th province facing such an investigation.

In the first round of investigation approved by the PACC’s board, probes were conducted at the centres in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai.

Centres in five more provinces, namely Bung Kan, Nong Khai, Nan, Surat Thani and Trat faced similar probes in a second round of investigation approved by the PACC board.

Another 22 centres in 22 provinces were later included in the investigation.