Thai Authorities Order Arrest of Jet-Setting Buddhist Monk Who Owns 83 Cars and Has $10 Million in Bank Account (VIDEOS)

This video clip of three Thai Buddhist monks leading the lifestyle of the rich and famous had opened the door for Thai authorities to investigate the source of wealth of the three who used a private jet to travel to a U.S., use Louis Vuitton bags and wore aviator glasses.

CNN identified the 34-year-old jet-setter monk as Luang Pu Nenkham, and what probers of Thailand's Department of Special Investigation initially found could possible cause a global repercussion on how people view Buddhist monks, similar to how they now view Roman Catholic clerics embroiled in paedophile scandals.

Among the findings of the probe team on the monk, who is supposed to have vows of celibacy and simple, moral living, is that Mr Nenkham owns 83 cars, has numerous properties that include land, houses and condominium units, plus a bank account with almost $10 million fund.

However, the bulk of the funds have disappeared from Mr Nenkham's account in the past few days. Such a huge amount was an accumulation of donations from rich and poor donors, the investigators said.

They said the monk, who claimed to be the reincarnation of another respected monk who lived several decades ago, is believed to be in California where he owns a Buddhist retreat centre 75 miles south of Los Angeles. He now allegedly uses the name Weerapol Sukpol.

While he may have violated Buddhist moral principles for living a jet-setting lifestyle, which is not a crime under Thai law, authorities have charged him with violating the country's computer crime act because of posting deceitful information, having sex with a minor and rape.

A female complainant claimed Mr Nenkham had sex with her when she was 14, which led to her pregnancy. The complainant submitted a request for a DNA test for her 11-year-old son whom she claimed was sired by the monk.

However, resident monks of the Buddhist centre allegedly owned by Mr Nenkham said that had not seen him in three months, while another monk said one year.

Thailand had started a manhunt for Mr Nenkham, and it had requested 114 financial institutions, and land and transportation departments to seize all assets of the high-flying Buddhist monk. The country also asked the U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement to revoke the monk's visa.