Brit accused of B217m land swindle

[PeteC]

News » Local News
Brit accused of B217m land swindle
Phuket holiday units 'have not been built'

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... nd-swindle

* Published: 1/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

The British chief executive officer of a Phuket-based property developer is facing fraud charges after being accused of operating an elaborate scam involving more than 200 million baht.

Granville: Facing fraud charges

Crime Suppression Division police yesterday arrested Steven James Granville, 43, the CEO of Puravarna Resorts Co, and charged him with fraud. He was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court.

The company runs a property development business in tambon Rawai in Phuket's Muang district.

The arrest came after Anand Kumar Sen, managing director of Tycoon Group Co, filed a complaint with the CSD last May accusing Mr Granville of deceiving people into paying for residential units which have not been built.

Mr Anand, a Singapore national, represents 19 customers of various nationalities who are the damaged parties. He said the total damage amounted to more than 217 million baht.

Mr Anand said the people he represented had signed agreements to buy suites priced between 6 million and 15 million baht at the company's luxury resort project.

The company had advertised the project in the media and organised events in countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain and Australia to attract customers to buy the units.

The company said the project was releasing more than 70 residential units as part of its second phase.

The company had promised the project, which began in 2005, would be completed on schedule in 2008, Mr Anand said.

He said the buyers had paid installments equal to more than 80 per cent of the price before learning construction had not started on the project.

The company cited flooding, financial difficulties and political problems as the causes of the delay, Mr Anand said.

He said the customers had found the residential project was not permitted by Phuket authorities.

The buyers believe they have been duped by the company and authorised him to file the lawsuit against the company, Mr Anand said.

The victims of the alleged scam include people of different nationalities and executives of Tiger Beer in Singapore, Mr Anand said.

Mr Granville has denied the allegations.

Police said they were gathering evidence to take action against other suspects involved in the alleged scam.

The Criminal Court yesterday set bail of 10 million baht which Mr Granville refused to pay.

[johnnyk]

Refused to pay? Skint more like it. OK, free room and board for 10 years then.

[Takiap]

Hell, you bloody Brits are really establishing a reputation in LOS....

[nevets]

I know it is embarrassing they should be taken out and shot in the head.

[usual suspect]

I bet by this time next week you lot'll be reading that our Mr Granville has somehow gone missing..? leaving behind a Thai wife who knows nothing ....except she told the Police he did have in his office drawer about 4 passports.
The Police have no idea of his whereabouts and have pulled out all the stops,-putting an officer on 24 hour surveillance, riding around Phuket on his 125 Tiger to find clues.
Meanwhile all the investors and future owners of the pending Mountain-view,Sea-view,Paradise,Asian-Heaven,Sunset-view,Mountain-View 2.. village projects have been totally had-over,and lost all their deposits
etc. Err...sound like a familiar story to any of you???

[richard]

Its all becoming a bit boring and tedious

Same same everywhere I guess. Not just Thailand. Loads of gullible punters out there to be taken. Got my priorities wrong in Job selection at school. Should have been a lawyer, banker, politician or property developer.

I await the flack about generalisation

[sargeant]

The Criminal Court yesterday set bail of 10 million baht which Mr Granville refused to pay.

usual suspect i think that means he stays in the phuket/bangkok hilton

i suppose he could tunnel his way out though

[richard]

Probably buy his way out

[sargeant]

Richard he is a man of principle he refused that offer already

[sargeant]

bugger too slow couldnt edit

He could pull the same stunt as our former famous brit prisoner and get himself pregnant

[Khundon1975]

Well, if he does he does get pregnant in the BKK Hilton Sarge, the book and film rights would pay of the B217m

[sargeant]

Usual Suspect got me thinking about possible stories we could be reading/hearing in the coming months
My alarmingly vivid imagination was set loose

Police arrested 4 men in a stolen 18 wheeler articulated lorry at a normal anti red shirt checkpoint
Under direct questioning the 4 men admitted they were all assassins on their way to get work from property developers who had property disputes.
They seemed quite upset when referred to as A hit team and insisted it was TWO X 2 man hit teams working shifts.
When asked “did they actually think an articulated 18 wheel lorry was appropriate for carrying out the hits”
The spokesman for the 2 hitman teams said indignantly “we needed something big enough to carry the AMMO”

And before the vested interests start


IT’S A PIGGIN JOKE

[Nereus]

[quote="prcscct"]News » Local News
Brit accused of B217m land swindle
Phuket holiday units 'have not been built'

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... nd-swindle

* Published: 1/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post

The British chief executive officer of a Phuket-based property developer is facing fraud charges after being accused of operating an elaborate scam involving more than 200 million baht.

He said the buyers had paid installments equal to more than 80 per cent of the price before learning construction had not started on the project...............................] quote


True or false, right or wrong, if reported correctly just what is it that leads people to part with substantial funds without confirming that there is an actual construction??????

[STEVE G]

Hell, you bloody Brits are really establishing a reputation in LOS....

Yes, it does make you wonder how many of the British real estate industry in Thailand have a dodgy past considering the number of stories like this.