Couple arrested for paying bribes to Thailand tourism official

Dec 19, 2007, 5:51 GMT

Washington - A Los Angeles film executive and his wife were arrested on charges of paying 1.7 million dollars in bribes to a Thai tourism official for the rights to run a film festival, the US Justice Department announced Wednesday.

Gerald Green, 75, and Patricia Green, 52, were arrested Tuesday on federal charges of conspiracy to bribe to an official of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to obtain a contract to run the Bangkok International Film Festival worth more than 10 million dollars, a US Justice Department statement said.

The complaint alleges that from 2003 and continuing into 2007, the Greens conspired with others to bribe Juthamas Siriwan, then-governor of the tourism authority and president of the film festival. She is currently contesting the December 23 parliamentary election with the Peau Pendin Party.

'As a result of her position at the TAT, the Governor was able to influence the awarding of the Bangkok International Film Festival contracts as well as other TAT contracts. More than 1.7 million dollars in payments were allegedly made for the benefit of the Governor,' said the US Justice Department.

The case is being investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office.