Apartment Accountant Who Disappeared with 700 Million Won in Maintenance Fees Arrested in Bucheon after 16 Days

25-Year Veteran Accountant Arrested for Embezzling Apartment Management Fees and Fleeing

An accounting staff member at an apartment complex in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, was arrested by police after embezzling hundreds of millions of won in management fees and then going into hiding. The employee, who had been in charge of accounting duties at the apartment for 25 years, is accused of forging accounting documents, evading oversight, and siphoning off approximately 700 million won. Police believe the total amount of damages may reach up to 3 billion won and are continuing their investigation.

Front view of Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju.

The Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station announced on the 22nd that they had arrested B (48), an accounting employee at Apartment A, on the street in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, the previous day on charges of occupational embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. B is suspected of embezzling around 700 million won in management fees and long-term repair reserves from 2016 until recently.

It was found in the investigation that B had been solely handling accounting duties at the apartment for 25 years, forging balance certificates and accounting documents to evade oversight. The apartment management only became aware of the embezzlement after B suddenly disappeared without coming to work on the 5th, and subsequently filed a police complaint.

At the time, the amount of embezzlement confirmed in a hurried check was about 700 million won, but a subsequent internal investigation revealed that B's total embezzlement may reach up to 3 billion won. Police plan to continue the investigation after receiving additional evidence and information about further damages.

The police intend to question B to determine the exact circumstances of the case and the whereabouts of the embezzled funds, and will investigate whether any assets have been concealed for recovery. Due to the seriousness of the case and concerns about flight risk, they also plan to request an arrest warrant.