Thailand suspected money-laundering scheme investigation pulls in World

The travails of World and Tools for Humanity in Thailand have taken a sinister turn, seemingly with little or no direct involvement from Sam Altman’s proof-of-humanity project.

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigations (DSI) carried out search warrants at five locations in the country this week connected with TIDC, which reportedly represents Tools for Humanity Thailand.

Thai outlet The Nation reports that warrants were executed at TIDC Holdings Co, TIDC Worldworks Co, TIDC Co, M Vision and a luxury home linked to a company director. Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) is also participating in the investigation, the Bangkok Post reports. Authorities seized four iris scanning devices, presumably World’s biometric Orbs, from M Vision, and will examine them to see if they store the biometric data of Thai citizens, according to MLex.

In November, the Thailand National Health Security Office (NHSO) ordered TIDC Worldverse to delete 1.2 million sets of iris biometrics it had collected to issue verified World digital IDs.

The relationship between all of these companies is unclear, but Thai PBS reports that TIDC Worldverse is affiliated with TIDC.

TIDC also appears in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in March of 2024 by Thai officials and representatives of Prime Opportunity Fund. That organization is managed by Capital Asia Investments, which Whale Hunting reports is a front company for Benjamin Mauerberger, also known as “Ben Smith,” based in Singapore. Mauerberger is described in the article as a South African money launderer who is wanted in several jurisdictions.

The MoU, which was cancelled by new Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaichanok Chidchob in November, identified TDIC as the Thailand International Digital Business and Financial Centre.

Now, former Permanent Secretary of the Digital Economy and Society Ministry and current Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Wisit Wisitsora-at is being questioned by DSI, along with other senior figures.

The MoU describes the development of TIDC as a digital business hub, targeting economic growth in areas including digital assets, cryptocurrency and a range of other services. The latter group includes online sports gambling, which is illegal in Thailand. The MoU also enabled fast-tracked visas for 500 foreign-born IT professionals.

It does not, however, mention World or TfH, or directly implicate either company in its activities.

TIDC has signed multiple other agreements in Thailand, but visited on Friday, the organization’s website appeared to be offline.

While World has faced scrutiny and even censure from regulators in other countries, the evidence publicly presented so far appears to show the company is an unsuspecting party to Thailand’s expanding scandal.

Article Topics

biometric data  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  iris biometrics  |  Thailand  |  Tools for Humanity  |  World