Detained for Habitually Extorting Severely Disabled Relatives
Charged with Blackmail and Violating Welfare Law
"We had to stop it before the next benefit payment date arrived."
Detective Kim Jinhwan of the Criminal Investigation Team 2 at Seosan Police Station in South Chungcheong Province was literally fighting against time. He was in a desperate struggle to arrest a man in his twenties, identified as Mr. A, who had been extorting basic living allowance payments for several years from his uncle suffering from severe brain lesions and his grandmother suffering from dementia.
The victims were so terrified that even giving a statement was difficult. The case began on the 1st of this month with a report from the Chungnam Center for the Advocacy of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, but the reality faced by the investigation team was far from simple. The victims, after years of repeated threats, avoided any contact with outsiders and could not speak out for fear of retaliation from the suspect.
However, Detective Kim did not back down. Determined to ensure that the victims would no longer suffer, he began by working with advocacy organizations and senior counseling centers to persuade the victims. He also launched a financial investigation to uncover the suspect's criminal patterns. He personally analyzed thousands of transaction records day and night, giving up his days off.
As a result, he confirmed that money was taken away every time the basic living allowance was paid, with the total amount of damages reaching about 40 million won.
Based on this evidence, Detective Kim quickly applied for an arrest warrant, and the court issued a detention warrant for Mr. A on charges of extortion and violation of the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act.
Detective Kim stated, "Since the benefit payment date was approaching, there was not a single day to lose," and added, "The only reason I worked through nights and weekends was to protect the victims."
He continued, "Crimes that exploit government programs for the welfare of persons with disabilities and the elderly can never be tolerated," and pledged, "I will continue to do my best to protect the human rights of the socially vulnerable."
This case goes beyond a simple economic crime. Detective Kim's swift and persistent investigation prevented further harm from a long-term habitual extortion targeting the socially vulnerable.
An official from Seosan Police Station said, "If it had not been for Detective Kim's tenacious investigative spirit and quick judgment, another incident of victimization would have occurred."
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