An auto dealer who embezzled billions of won from customers and others before going into hiding has been indicted and is now standing trial in detention.
On November 17, the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Sangbeom) announced that it had indicted a 41-year-old auto dealer, Mr. A, on charges of fraud in violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, among other offenses.
Mr. A is accused of defrauding and embezzling a total of approximately 2.7 billion won from 12 victims between August 2021 and July last year, across 150 separate instances under various pretexts, including vehicle purchase agency services and loans.
Initially, Mr. A was referred to the prosecution without being detained. However, after securing statements from all the victims and conducting a supplementary investigation, the prosecution determined that the scale of the damage was significant and that there was a high risk of flight and reoffending. As a result, a detention warrant was requested on July 9.
Mr. A evaded capture for about three months by using burner phones and cars registered under false names, but prosecutors tracked the call records of his accomplices, identified his hideout, and arrested him on October 22.
A prosecution official stated, “By persistently tracking the fugitive using various investigative techniques, we were able to apprehend him in just three months, minimizing delays in criminal proceedings and the suffering of the victims caused by a prolonged escape.” The official added, “We will do our utmost to uncover the substantive truth and uphold justice, including booking the accomplices on charges of harboring a criminal.”
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