Thai Monk Accused of Embezzling Over $9M from Temple to Gamble Online

^{Pictured: Phra Dharma Wachiranuwat (second from left) arriving at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok on Thursday morning}

Phra Dharma Wachiranuwat, the abbot of Wat Rai Khing in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom province, is facing charges after allegedly siphoning off more than $9 million from temple funds to bankroll gambling activities, according to the Bangkok Post. The 70-year-old senior monk showed up at a Bangkok police office Thursday morning to give a statement.

At the time, officers were finalizing an arrest warrant, following a tip-off about large-scale financial irregularities tied to the temple. Investigators dispatched a team to Wat Rai Khing to verify the claims and gather evidence on-site.

Undercover officers soon uncovered a paper trail allegedly linking the abbot to direct orders transferring temple money into his personal accounts. From there, the funds were moved again — this time to an account belonging to a woman now suspected of working with illegal gambling platforms.

Authorities say more than $9 million flowed into Wachiranuwat’s personal account over a five-year span. At least $15 million in total was found to have moved between his accounts and those believed to be linked to illegal betting operations.

Once the temple funds were nearly wiped out, the abbot reportedly turned to senior monks at other temples, asking to borrow money.

Thailand’s Central Criminal Court for Corruption Cases approved the police request for his arrest. He now faces charges related to financial misconduct and theft. The woman involved — 28-year-old Aranyawan Wangthapan — was previously arrested last year in connection with the illegal betting site Lagalaxy911. Though she was later released on bail, she was taken into custody again on Thursday.

All forms of gambling in Thailand remain illegal, with the exception of state-sanctioned horse racing and lottery games. Post Today estimates the size of the underground gambling market at over $33 billion annually.