Bangkok. A Thai court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced two former prosecutors in connection with an alleged cover-up of a 2012 Ferrari crash involving an heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune that killed a police officer.

Former Deputy Attorney General Nate Naksuk and former prosecutor Chainarong Sangthongaram were sentenced to three and two years in prison, respectively, for abuse of power in helping an individual avoid prosecution, according to the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Bangkok.

They were among eight people charged with conspiring to alter the recorded speed of the Ferrari driven by Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya to help him evade a speeding charge. The remaining defendants, including former Police Chief Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence linking them to the cover-up, the court said.

The court ordered all eight defendants to be detained pending an appeal. However, they were later released on bail, local media reported.

Vorayuth, the grandson of the late Chaleo Yoovidhya, co-creator of the globally renowned Red Bull brand, has evaded justice for more than a decade. In 2023, Forbes ranked the Yoovidhya family as Thailand’s richest, with an estimated net worth of $36 billion.Vorayuth

Police said Vorayuth’s Ferrari struck the rear of a police officer’s motorcycle in the early morning hours of September 2012 on a major road in Bangkok. The officer was thrown from the bike and died at the scene. Vorayuth drove home and was later arrested. Medical tests revealed traces of alcohol and cocaine in his system, according to police.

Despite multiple summonses, Vorayuth repeatedly failed to appear before prosecutors and continued to lead a jet-set lifestyle. By the time prosecutors issued an arrest warrant in April 2017, he had already fled the country.

The case has become a symbol of how Thailand’s wealthy and well-connected often evade accountability. Investigative and judicial delays have allowed the statute of limitations to expire on most charges related to the hit-and-run. Only one charge remains, reckless driving causing death,which will expire in 2027.