Bangkok: A woman in Thailand, identified by police as Ms Golf, allegedly extorted 385 million baht (₹102.14 crore) from at least nine Buddhist monks over the past three years, as reported by the BBC. She is accused of engaging in sexual activities with the monks and using compromising photos and videos to blackmail them.
The case came to light when an abbot in Bangkok, the head of a monastery, abruptly left the monastic order in mid-June, prompting an investigation.
During the probe, authorities discovered over 80,000 intimate images and videos at Ms Golf’s house, which she allegedly used to extort large sums of money. Police revealed that Ms Golf’s tactics involved forming Sexual relationships with monks and then demanding money under false pretences.
In May 2024, Ms Golf falsely claimed to have a child with one monk, demanding over 7 million baht (~₹1.86 crore) for child support. Investigations confirmed this was part of her typical strategy to extort multiple monks. Most of the extorted funds were withdrawn, with some reportedly spent on online gambling.
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Ms Golf faces charges including extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen goods. In response to the scandal, Thai police have introduced a hotline for reporting misconduct by monks, aiming to address issues within the revered Buddhist institution.
The incident has prompted the Sangha Supreme Council, the governing body for Thai Buddhism, to announce it will form a special committee to review monastic regulations.
