Alleged extortionist denies charges in iCon Group direct sales saga

A woman denied all charges and remained tight-lipped after hours of questioning over alleged extortion in The iCon Group direct sales saga, according to police.
Pol Maj Gen Suwat Saengnoom, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said on Sunday that police interrogated Kritanong Suwannawong at the Crime Suppression Division for more than five hours Saturday night.
She denied all charges, refused to answer police questions and told them she would file her written statement later, he said.
Police arrested the 47-year-old woman at her house in Pathum Thani province on Saturday and charged her with extortion and bribe solicitation.
The deputy commissioner said police would ask the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Monday to extend her detention.
Police would object to any bail request to protect evidence and witnesses in the case, he said.
Pol Maj Gen Suwat alleged the woman extorted 750,000 baht from the chief and major direct sales dealers of The iCon Group in the middle of last year, and offered to be a go-between in the solicitation of bribes from the people to a government organisation.
The chief executive and major dealers – including celebrities of The iCon Group – have been detained in prison on charges of public fraud, inputting false information in computer systems, running a pyramid scheme and violating a direct sales law.