The leader of a romance scam team, who orchestrated scams within a voice phishing organization based in Cambodia, has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.
On December 19, the 15th Criminal Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Yanghun) sentenced Jeong to six years in prison on charges including membership in a criminal organization. Other members of the organization who were indicted alongside Jeong also received prison sentences ranging from three years and six months to four years.
Jeong served as the leader of the so-called "romance team," which was responsible for prostitution solicitation scams within the Hanya call center, a voice phishing organization established by a foreign ringleader known as "Ma Dongseok."
He was charged with defrauding five victims of a total of 300 million won from September last year to January this year. The court also ordered the forfeiture of 53,522,000 won in criminal proceeds obtained by Jeong.
The court stated, "Telecommunications financial fraud is completed through the division of roles among participants. The defendant played a key role as a team leader, making severe punishment unavoidable," adding, "The defendant also solicited other members to join the criminal organization," as the reasoning for the sentencing.
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