The Office of the Attorney General (OAG), in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), has secured the extradition of Nopparat Benjawatananun, a former chief of the National Office of Buddhism (NOB), from the United States.
Mr Nopparat is being returned to face trial in Thailand over his suspected role in a major temple fund embezzlement scandal.
He is accused of diverting government subsidies intended for the restoration and development of more than 65 temples.
The case originated from an NACC investigation in 2017, which revealed that he and his associates allegedly misappropriated state funds allocated to Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan and 64 other temples.
Following the scandal, Mr Nopparat fled overseas. He was later confirmed to be in the US.
In December 2023, the NACC formally charged him with embezzling 30 million baht from the temple funds. Prosecutors filed the case with the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Region 7, which issued a warrant for his arrest.
In April this year, he was detained by the US Marshals Service while receiving treatment at a hospital, pending Thailand's extradition request.
The OAG reported that US authorities approved the request earlier this month. Thai officials travelled to the US on Saturday to escort him back for trial.
The OAG expressed its gratitude to all law enforcement agencies involved, including those in the United States, noting that the successful extradition underscored Thailand's commitment to pursuing fugitives and upholding justice.
