Corruption busters move against ex TAT governor
Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission has officially notified Tourism Authority of Thailand’s former governor, Juthamas Siriwan, of allegations that she was involved in the Bangkok Film Festival bribe scandal.
TTR Weekly quotes reports from the Thai media that National Anti-Corruption Commissioner and a chairman of the subcommittee investigating the alleged bribery scam, Methee Krongkaew, saying, “NACC had sent documents outlining the allegations to Ms Jutamas in late May.â€
Ms Jutamas, who was TAT governor from 2002 to 2006, faces allegations of conspiring with Gerald Green, the US film producer and his wife, Patricia Green, in order to land film festival contracts as well as other deals for the development of a Thai Privilege Card, a website, book, video, calendars, and public relations services.
The Greens used different business entities, some with dummy addresses and telephone numbers, to hide how much they were receiving under the contracts according to state prosecutors.
A US court identified Ms Jutamas as the beneficiary of bribes, although she maintained her innocence throughout the two-year court case that concluded with a jury declaring the Greens guilty.
Mrs Juthamas and her daughter have been indicted in the US for allegedly accepting bribes from the couple.
At one point Mrs Juthamas insisted she would sue the US government and the FBI for falsely accusing her and damaging her reputation.
The court heard that at least US$1.8 million from their take went to bribe the former governor.
The Department of Justice said the Greens disguised the bribes as “sales commissions†and made the payments through bank accounts in Singapore, the United Kingdom and Jersey, some in the name of the former governor’s daughter and a friend.
The jury found the Greens guilty of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act on nine counts of violating the FCPA, and seven counts of money laundering.
The sentencing judge has delayed his ruling on the jail term on at least three occasions since they were found guilty in a Los Angeles district court.
Source: TTR Weekly
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