Ekkayuth Anchanbutr

Who is Ekkayuth Anchanbutr?

Ekkayuth Anchanbutr was a Thai pyramid scheme operator and political activist.

Ekkayuth was the head of the controversial Charter Investment pyramid scheme, which collapsed in 1983. He fled to England in 1984 to avoid charges. Ekkayuth then invested the proceeds of pyramid scheme in a chain of oriental supermarkets and is estimated to have accumulated a personal wealth of billions.

In 2004, after the 20 year statute of limitations was exhausted, he returned to Thailand and launched a campaign against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. His Thailand Insider website was strongly critical of the Premier, and was temporarily blocked by Thai authorities on June 21, 2005 and again on December 15, 2005.

In June 2013 it was reported that he had gone missing with a large amount of money. His driver, Santiparb Pengduang, admitted to killing him on June 12, 2013. The motive for the murder is alleged to be that Ekkayuth had fired Santiparb's girlfriend. As of June 13, 2013, police indicate, pending verification from further investigation and evidence, that Ekkayuth was probably driving to escape his pursuers, but stopped with the intent of jumping off a bridge into the water where he might have been injured from a fall and then caught and killed.