Shin Corp found itself embroiled in a political maelstrom in 2006 when founder Thaksin Shinawatra, then prime minister of Thailand, sold his stake in the company to Temasek, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund. The sale, which saw Thaksin and his family make a $1.9 billion tax-free gain, sparked a public outcry and in the end Thaksin was ousted from power in a military coup.