Arrested in Ecuador Through Interpol Cooperation
and Forcibly Extradited to Korea
The operator of the largest illegal sexual video distribution site and prostitution brokerage site in Korea, which attracted as many as 36,000 daily visitors, was arrested in Ecuador and extradited to Korea, where he has been taken into custody.
The largest illegal sexual video distribution site operated by Mr. A in Korea. Provided by Daejeon Police Agency
On June 16, the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Daejeon Police Agency announced that they had arrested and forcibly extradited Mr. A (age 50) from Ecuador on charges of violating the Information and Communications Network Act (distribution of obscene materials) and the Act on Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds, among other offenses.
Mr. A is accused of operating the illegal sexual video site from August 2017 to January 2020, during which he distributed approximately 3,000 obscene materials, including child and female sexual exploitation content. He is also charged with advertising prostitution businesses on another site from December 2012 to October 2019.
The illegal sexual video site operated by Mr. A was known as the largest in Korea since Soranet, with up to 36,000 daily users. As of 2019, it is reported that over 3,060 videos and other materials were posted on the site. Investigations revealed that Mr. A earned billions of won in profits, including revenue from 866 banner advertisements that linked to gambling sites and other destinations.
The police launched an investigation in 2019 and, after tracking the flow of funds, confirmed that Mr. A was residing in Ecuador. While in Ecuador, Mr. A operated both sites and received criminal proceeds in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin through five individuals in Korea, including Mr. B (age 23), who acted as cash couriers.
Working in cooperation with Interpol and other agencies, the police apprehended Mr. A in Ecuador in June of last year. After one year, on June 12, Mr. A was forcibly extradited to Korea and taken into custody.
Previously, the police arrested the five cash couriers, including Mr. B, and in 2021, they also apprehended and detained Mr. C (age 31), a co-operator who had been running the illegal sexual video site while hiding in Thailand. Mr. B, Mr. C, and other accomplices were convicted in 2022 for violating the Information and Communications Network Act (aiding and abetting the distribution of obscene materials).
The police plan to refer Mr. A to the prosecution soon, and have also applied for a pre-indictment confiscation order for approximately 2 billion won out of Mr. A's criminal proceeds, with the intention of recovering the funds for the national treasury.
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