Immigration police have arrested a Russian fugitive wanted on embezzlement and extortion who had gone into the real estate business in Pattaya.
Dmitry Ishmukhametov, 41, was taken into custody outside his Anastasia International Co. office on Thepprasit Soi 5 Feb. 20 based on an Interpol arrest warrant and request from the Russian Embassy. He initially presented officers with a Czech passport bearing the name of Dmitry Lemba, but confessed to being Ishmukhametov after immigration officials confirmed with the Czech Embassy the passport was fake, police said.
Russian Dmitry Ishmukhametov has been arrested on various charges, but will be deported to face extortion charges in Russia.
Ishmukhametov is wanted in Russia for allegedly extorting 1 million rubles (917,000 baht) in a property scam. Immigration officials said the suspect fled prosecution to the Czech Republic, where he purchased a Russian-crafted fake passport for the equivalent of 150,000 baht.
Using the fake passport, he entered Thailand in October 2013 to develop a condominium project in Jomtien Beach. He used a fake work permit to set himself up as the managing director of the 60 million baht Anastasia.
He was charged with possession and use of a fake passport, fraudulent work permit, illegally entering the kingdom, working illegally in the kingdom, and reporting fake information to police. However, he likely will not be prosecuted on any of the charges, as he was immediately prepared for deportation.
