A Thai woman has been arrested for allegedly seducing several senior Buddhist monks and blackmailing them for money with their intimate material.
The accused, Wilawan Emsawat, who is believed to be in her mid-30s, was arrested at her home in Bangkok's Nonthaburi province.
As a result of the scandal, at least nine abbots and senior monks involved in the scandal have been disrobed and cast out of the monkhood, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said.
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Authorities say she targeted high-ranking monks, lured them into sexual relationships, and then demanded large payouts to keep their affairs secret, the AP news agency reported.
The monks allegedly diverted money from temple accounts to meet Wilawan's financial demands.
A scandal fueled by seduction, extortion
The case came to light after the sudden and unexplained resignation of a prominent abbot in Bangkok, said Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner.
Investigators later uncovered that he had been coerced by Wilawan, who claimed she was pregnant and demanded a staggering 7.2 million baht (approx. $222,000) to remain silent, the news agency reported.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators later uncovered that he had been coerced by Wilawan, who claimed she was pregnant and demanded a staggering 7.2 million baht (approx. $222,000) to remain silent, the news agency reported.
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Police believed "this woman is dangerous and we needed to arrest her as soon as possible", Jaroonkiat said.
Police believe this wasn't an isolated incident. Evidence from Wilawan's mobile phones has revealed tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chat logs indicating intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail.
Trail of money found
Over the past three years, Wilawan reportedly received around 385 million baht (roughly $11.9 million) in her bank accounts—much of it transferred by monks using temple funds.
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Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Wilawan has not made a statement since her arrest, and it was unclear if she has legal representation.
Thai Buddhism under the scanner
The possible violation of the celibacy rule for monks has rocked the country's religious institutions and raised serious questions about temple finances and monk conduct.
Thai monks are largely members of the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and refrain from even touching a woman.
Scandals involving monks surface a few times a year in Thailand, but usually don't involve senior members of the clergy. The case also puts a spotlight on the large sums of money donated to temples controlled by abbots, which is in marked contrast to the abstemious lives they are supposed to lead under their religion's precepts.