Twenty victims, assisted by activist lawyer Ronnarong Kaewpetch, chairman of the Foundation for Justice in Society, have filed a lawsuit against a self-proclaimed “Naga medium” accused of swindling over 20 million baht.
Mr Ronnarong led the group to the Central Investigation Bureau on Tuesday to lodge complaints against a woman known online as the “Divine Consort of Indra”, “Phet Phatthara Naga”, or “Ajarn Min”.
The alleged victims say they were duped into purchasing talismans and participating in rituals that were claimed to improve fortune and prosperity but later proved ineffective. Some reportedly paid in instalments despite being in debt.
The lawyer said the acts may constitute public fraud and could violate the Computer Crime Act and the Consumer Protection Act. Evidence submitted included bank transfer slips, chat records, promotional clips, and advertising materials.
Investigators were urged to trace financial transactions across 18 related bank accounts, suspected of laundering large sums, said Mr Ronnarong.
One victim, a 46-year-old dentist identified only as “Khun Tee”, said she was persuaded by “Ajarn Min”, who claimed to channel a divine Naga spirit.
Min allegedly charged tens of thousands of baht for amulets she claimed to be “personally chosen by celestial beings”.
However, the items were later found to be cheaply made and resold at exorbitant prices. After the allegations surfaced, Min reportedly blocked communication and refused refunds, she said.
Another victim said she was deceived via a Buddhist teaching page and discovered that donation funds were misused and that celebrity photos were exploited without consent to promote credibility.