Thailand issues arrest warrants for South African couple in US$30 million fraud case

South China Morning Post Legal & JudicialNews ReportEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseMarch 3, 2026 at 07:04 AM

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A Thai court issued arrest warrants for Ben Smith (also known as Benjamin Mauerberger), a South African businessman, and his wife, Cattaliya Beevor, for alleged investment fraud and money laundering. Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) accuses the couple of cross-border investment fraud dating back to 2016. They are accused of defrauding a foreign victim of over US$30 million by deceiving them into investing in various ventures, including stocks, real estate, and energy businesses. The warrants were issued on Thursday following an investigation into the couple's activities. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated the warrants align with the government's policy of cracking down on scammers and money launderers.

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Key Claims (5)

AI-Extracted

Smith and Beevor are accused of deceiving a victim into investing over one billion baht (US$31.8 million).

factual — the investigation bureau100% confidence

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the warrants align with the government's policy of cracking down on scammers.

quote — Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul100% confidence

Ben Smith and Cattaliya Beevor are accused of cross-border investment fraud dating back to 2016.

factual — Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB)100% confidence

Thai court issued arrest warrants for Ben Smith and Cattaliya Beevor for investment fraud and money laundering.

factual — police100% confidence

One victim was allegedly conned out of more than US$30 million.

factual — police90% confidence

Claims are automatically extracted and should be independently verified. Attribution indicates the stated source of the claim.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

South Africa 40% Cambodia 50% Anutin Charnvirakul 60% Central Investigation Bureau ×270% Cattaliya Beevor ×280% Ben Smith (Benjamin Mauerberger) ×590% Thailand 90%

Keywords

investment fraud 90% money laundering 80% arrest warrants 70% cross-border investment fraud 70% thailand 60% ben smith 50% scam operations 50% cattaliya beevor 40%