A Buddhist monk was arrested for allegedly stealing donations worth more than nine million US dollars to splurge on his mistress.

Yaem Inkrungkao, 60, allegedly siphoned a staggering 300 million baht (9.1 million USD) from temple funds into his personal bank account in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

He was said to have used the donations from devotees to give his girlfriend Aranyawan Wangthapan, 28, in exchange for nude videos of herself.

When the temple coffers ran low, the greedy religious leader was then understood to have borrowed money from other senior monks to fund his online gambling habit.

The grasping abbot's schemes, dating back to 2020, came to light following a tip-off to police about his suspicious financial activities at the Wat Rai Khing temple.

Upon learning he was the subject of an investigation, Yaem surrendered to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Bangkok on May 15, shortly before the Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest. He willingly stepped down from monkhood that evening.

Police Major General Charoonkiart Parnkaew, deputy commissioner of the CIB, said on May 16: 'The former abbot was cooperative during the interrogation, but we believe he is still hiding something as his testimony was contradictory to the available evidence. Therefore, additional evidence must be collected.

'We will also be inviting the abbots from whom he had loaned money as well. We aim to question all of them swiftly in order to reach a conclusion, because we want the temple to be able to move forward as well. The commander has already strictly instructed us on this matter.'

Authorities said Yaem allegedly ordered the temple's management committee to wire funds from the temple's account to his own. He was said to have hired his suspected mistress Aranyawan to then use the money to top up his gambling accounts.

Aranyawan, wearing expensive Balenciaga clothes, was arrested at a condominium she shared with her boyfriend in 'Sin City' Pattaya on May 15.

Investigators found her after the temple wired 100 million baht (2.26 million GBP) to her account.

Aranyawan allegedly admitted to being the monk's accomplice. She said they were childhood friends since elementary school, and she had borrowed 40 million baht (905,000 GBP) from him in 2021 for investment purposes.

Police said the pair frequently had video calls, with clips of Aranywan bathing discovered on the holy man's phone.

Officers said that Yaem will be charged with 'malfeasance in office, misappropriation of state assets, and abuse of official authority, including permitting others to unlawfully benefit from assets under his control'.

Aranyawan faces charges of aiding and abetting a state official in committing corruption-related offences. Temple abbots are considered state officials under Thai law.

Yaem was detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison, while Aranyawan was sent to the Central Women's Correctional Institution. Both were denied bail.

Thai Buddhist monks over the years have faced several scandals involving financial misconduct, sexual affairs, and drug use, which have eroded public trust in the clergy.

In November 2024, a Buddhist monastery in Phichit province was raided after authorities 41 cadavers 'being used for meditation' at the site.

While in November 2022, a Buddhist temple in Phetchabun province was left empty when all of the monks were tested positive for methamphetamine.

In 2019, the documentary Come and See exposed controversies surrounding Wat Phra Dhammakaya, one of Thailand's largest and most influential Buddhist temples.