"Stole 360 Million Won Through Voice Phishing Call Center"... Man in His 50s Sentenced to Prison

A man in his 50s who operated a voice phishing call center and illegally profited under the pretense of investment funds and loan fees has been sentenced to prison.

On June 21, Judge Kang Kyungmook of the Seoul Northern District Court's 14th Criminal Division announced that Kim (age 51), who was tried on charges of fraud, violation of the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, and embezzlement, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison.

Kim was accused of operating a voice phishing call center in the Philippines with his wife around April 2013, and conspiring with other members of the organization between December 2014 and March of the following year to steal a total of 364.98 million won through 45 separate incidents. He instructed victims to deposit money into borrowed-name accounts under the pretense of scrap metal sales, goods sales, or loans. During the same period, Kim exchanged a total of 122 access devices, such as cards under other people's names, to withdraw the money deposited by the victims.

In September 2014, Kim also participated in another voice phishing crime as a cash courier and defrauded a victim of 1.87 million won.

Previously, in January 2008, Kim received 35.15 million won from a victim under the pretense of investment funds, which he embezzled for gambling and living expenses. In December 2012, he also defrauded three victims of 10.21 million won under the pretense of loan fees.

Judge Kang stated, "The defendant played a central role in the crime by recruiting cash mules, collecting and providing borrowed-name accounts, and instructing the withdrawal and remittance of funds deposited into those accounts. Therefore, the defendant bears a very heavy responsibility." He added, "The scale of damage is significant, as evidenced by the fact that one victim ended their own life immediately after the crime."

He continued, "The defendant participated in the crime by delivering the stolen funds in the voice phishing scam, embezzled money received under the pretense of investment by spending it on gambling and other expenses, and defrauded victims of money under the pretense of loan fees. Despite the considerable scale of damage, there has been no restitution for the victims."