Suspect in 8 Billion Won Investment Fraud Forced to Return from Cambodia

A, the mastermind of an investment fraud organization with call centers in Cambodia and Vietnam, forcibly repatriated to Korea on the 30th (center) / Photo by the National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Agency announced that it has apprehended the ringleader of a fraud organization based in Cambodia and Vietnam through cooperation with local police and forcibly repatriated him to South Korea on the 30th.

According to the police, the suspect A (51), who was repatriated on the day, is the ringleader of an investment fraud organization operating call centers in Cambodia and Vietnam. Since January 2020, he is accused of luring about 100 victims to fake financial investment websites by guaranteeing principal and high returns, embezzling approximately 8 billion KRW. Earlier, the police arrested 20 members responsible for domestic promotion and withdrawal within the organization and then proceeded to capture A, who was on the run overseas.

The National Police Agency carried out international cooperation, including issuing an Interpol Red Notice for A in July. Subsequently, while jointly tracking other fugitives with the Cambodian police, they obtained information on A's whereabouts. The National Police Agency requested the Cambodian police to apprehend A, and eventually, about 10 days after starting cooperation, on the 5th of last month, both countries' police arrested A. Kang Gitaek, head of the Interpol International Cooperation Division at the National Police Agency, said, "To dismantle criminal organizations operating overseas, we recently dispatched a police liaison officer to Cambodia, and we will continue to expand our cooperative capabilities going forward."