Extradited Thai monk accused of sex with minor

July 20 (UPI) -- A former Buddhist monk who fled Thailand following allegations he had sex with an underage girl has been charged with child sex offenses, money laundering and fraud.

Wirapol Sukphol, 38, once known as a monk with "magical" powers among his wealthy followers in Sisaket province, appeared this week in Thailand's criminal court for a hearing after being extradited from the United States, the BBC reported.

Wirapol had left Thailand in 2013 in the wake of scandal, and photos and videos showed him enjoying a worldly lifestyle that included rides on a private jet while carrying a designer bag and sunglasses.

Wirapol was expelled from the monkhood but arrived in formal robes on Wednesday.

Authorities requested him to change into white clothes ahead of the hearing, according to reports.

The former monk gained fame as head of a monastery, where he fashioned himself as an ascetic with supernatural powers, and went by the monastic title Luang Puu Nen Kham, Khaosod English reported.

Wirapol is also accused of fathering a child, a charge he has denied, along with the other allegations.

The ex-monk was living in Southern California where he claimed he had received asylum and founded a new monastery.

Thai investigators say Wirapol has laundered millions of dollars of assets, and prosecutors in Bangkok are demanding he return $830,000 of funds to his victims.

Buddhist monks and the temples they supervise play a crucial role in Thailand, along with the state and the monarchy.