The suspect is Aota Koichi, 57.

“He allegedly sold a machine to his victim for more than Bt40 million, falsely claiming that this machine can produce diesel from a mixture of water and cheap oil,” Thonglor Police Station’s superintendent Pol Colonel Kachornpong Chitparkpoom said.

He added that the victim had lodged a complaint with police after finding that this over-priced machine does not produce diesel.

Police said Koichi also runs a car-rental business and allegedly offers money-laundering services in Thailand.