London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Police in Thailand arrested an American man in connection with an alleged fraud that left a New Jersey deli worth $100 million

Police in Thailand arrested an American man in connection with an alleged fraud that left a New Jersey deli worth $100 million

Thai police arrested a man over an alleged fraud involving a firm that owned a New Jersey deli.
Police in Thailand have arrested an American man linked to an alleged stock market conspiracy that left a deli in New Jersey worth about $100 million.

Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), told the Bangkok Post that Peter Coker Jr was arrested on January 11 in a hotel room near Surin Beach on the island of Phuket.

Coker Jr was on the run from authorities after he, his father Peter Coker Sr, and James Patten were allegedly involved in boosting the value of shares in Hometown International, which owned the deli, to give the company a valuation of as much as $100 million.

Hometown's only asset was the Paulsboro sandwich shop, which had sales of just $35,000 over a two-year period. The Department of Justice said the owners had "conspired to enrich themselves through a scheme to manipulate securities prices" in its arrest warrant for the men.

Coker Jr was the subject of arrest warrants issued by Interpol, per the Post, after being accused of stock market manipulation and fraud in September.

Bhuridej told the newspaper that the suspects had listed the business on the OTC Marketplace at $1.25 a share before they hired stock traders to manipulate its share price.

Hometown stock soared by more than 900%, and was delisted in 2021 for failing to comply with "over the counter" market rules. E-Waste, another company set up by the group, spiked by almost 20,000%.

The Bangkok Post reported that the CIB had been working with the FBI to locate Coker Jr. Coker Sr. and Patten were arrested in North Carolina in September last year and have pleaded not guilty.

Matt Reilly, a spokesman for the US Attorney's Office in New Jersey, confirmed in an email to CNBC on Wednesday that Coker Jr. had been arrested in Thailand.

The Post reported that Coker Jr. admitted he was the man wanted on the Interpol register.

The US Attorney's Office in New Jersey did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.
Comments

Brad 2 year ago
OTC market is a scam where these people are allowed to finish scamming the people

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×