Inside the gilded lifetime of Asos boss’s ex-wife who had accused British trend agency founding father of fraud earlier than his lethal fall from seventeenth flooring Thai house
This is the ex-wife of the British co-founder of online fashion group Asos, who fell to his death from the 17th floor of his Thai apartment.
Ploy Kringsinthanakun, 43, was married to Quentin Griffiths, 58, for five years, and he was found dead outside the building where he lived in the resort of Pattaya, a seaside city south of Bangkok, on February 9.
The tragedy came amid an alleged ongoing dispute with his Thai ex-wife, who accused him of fraudulently selling land and shares worth £500,000 belonging to a company they operated together.
But Ms Kringsinthanakun, 43, today made clear that she played no role in his death, which occurred just days before their next scheduled court appearance.
She told The Sun: ‘I had absolutely nothing to do with his death. How could I kill him? How would I know anything about it? I live in Bangkok – I wasn’t in Pattaya.’
When officers arrived at Griffiths’ condo, they found two open bottles of wine and a bottle of water.
A police source said: ‘Officers arrived at the scene and it was confirmed that Quentin was dead. An ambulance took his body to the hospital for a post-mortem examination.
‘The CCTV inside the building was checked. The only person who went into the room was Quentin, so we do not believe there was anything suspicious.’
ASOS co-founder Quentin Griffiths, 58, mysteriously plunged from the 17th floor of his condominium in Pattaya (pictured in 2008)
Ploy Kringsinthanakun, 43, said she played no role in Quentin Griffiths’ death
Ms Kringsinthanakun’s social media shows her with her ex-husband in various locations around the world
A post-mortem examination did not reveal any evidence of foul play.
Last January, the British national was reportedly arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and questioned by detectives after Ms Kringsinthanakun alleged he had forged documents to sell land and shares in the business without her knowledge.
Mr Griffiths denied the allegations and insisted every business transaction was done lawfully. He was released after questioning, but the investigation was continuing at the time of his death, according to reports.
Ms Kringsinthanakun’s social media shows him with two young children in various locations around the world, including Swiss ski resorts, Paris and Bournemouth, where his family are thought to live.
She describes herself online as a digital creator and appears to live in a suburb in Bangkok – video footage posted on her Facebook account shows images of Bangkok, and she wrote:’ I love Thailand.’
Reports in Thailand said his ex-wife had accused him of stealing the money from a company they operated together.
Pictures on her social media show her and Mr Griffiths with the two children – a boy and a girl – enjoying luxury holidays and always travelling First Class and staying at five-star hotels.
Other images show her shopping for shoes and clothes in high-end stores, and the last picture Mr Griffiths appears in is taken in 2021 when he was at what is believed to be his daughter’s birthday party.
Ms Kringsinthanakun describes herself online as a digital creator
Mr Griffiths and Ms Kringsinthanakun pictured with their two children
While in another picture taken during lockdown, a masked Mr Griffiths is seen with his two children, also masked, as they buy toys in a toy shop.
In further pictures, she and Mr Griffiths are also seen with their children helping out an orphanage in Pattaya.
A friend who messages and says ‘Cute family’ is told ‘Thank You’ by his ex-wife with a heart emoji.
Mr Griffiths’ exact cause of death will not be determined until a full postmortem is complete, but police sources say a bottle of alcohol and legal papers were found scattered in the apartment.
A police source told the Daily Mail: ‘The door was double-locked from inside and there appeared to be no signs of a disturbance.’
Last year, Mr Griffiths was also reportedly arrested and questioned by detectives after his wife alleged that he had forged documents to sell land and shares in her business without her knowledge.
Mr Griffiths denied the allegations and was released after questioning.
The investigation was continuing at the time of his death, according to reports.
Emergency services are said to have found the millionaire’s body on the ground below his balcony (pictured: the building where Mr Griffiths lived)
A source close to the family told The Sun: ‘It’s a real mystery. The phrase ‘suspicious circumstances’ has been used, but we just don’t know yet.’
Griffiths helped launch Asos in 2000 alongside Nick Robertson and Andrew Regan, and remained there until 2005.
The company grew into a £3billion global retailer, with the Princess of Wales and Michelle Obama among those to have worn its own-label designs.
A former advertising executive, he stepped down as marketing director after four years.
He later made £15million from share sales in 2010 and received a further stock windfall in 2013.
He later sued his accountants at BDO, saying he had been given the wrong advice on how to avoid tax on the sale.
The bungled advice, he claimed, ended up costing him more than £4million in tax on the sales of more than £10million of shares in Asos and Achica, an online retailer he also co-founded.
The father of three then moved to Thailand around 2007. After divorcing his first wife, he married a Thai woman and had a son and a daughter. The couple separated several years ago.
In a statement, Asos said: ‘We’re saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders.
‘He played an important role in Asos’s earliest days, and we’re forever grateful for his contribution. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.’
A FCDO Spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.’
