Online Gambling Syndicate Boss Worth 1.2 Trillion Won Forcedly Repatriated from Vietnam

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The ringleader of an organization operating illegal online gambling sites worth 1.2 trillion KRW, with offices in Vietnam and Cambodia, was forcibly repatriated from Vietnam.

The National Police Agency announced that through a joint investigation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security, they apprehended the ringleader, Mr. A (48), and dispatched police escorts to the local area to repatriate him to Korea on the 15th. According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of operating six illegal online gambling sites in Monaco, Milan, Naples, and other locations from June 2012 to March 2021, along with 20 accomplices, using over 110 accounts, with total deposits amounting to 1.2 trillion KRW. Police investigations revealed that Mr. A meticulously planned the crimes by delegating tasks such as site operation, program development, and procurement of proxy bank accounts to accomplices, maintaining offices in Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The profits gained during this process were found to average about 9 million KRW per day.

Earlier, the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency obtained information that Mr. A was operating gambling sites overseas and began a pre-indictment investigation in April 2019. After securing and analyzing gambling accounts and internet banking access IPs, nine suspects were apprehended domestically. To capture Mr. A and key accomplices, the investigative agency requested support from the National Police Agency’s Interpol International Cooperation Division. In cooperation with Cambodian police and police attach?s, five overseas fugitive accomplices were apprehended and repatriated around March last year. Regarding Mr. A, the Vietnamese public security was requested to track and arrest him. The Vietnamese public security arrest task force identified Mr. A’s residence in Ho Chi Minh City during inquiries, and as the investigation tightened, Mr. A could not endure the psychological pressure and surrendered to local authorities on the 16th of last month.

Through statements from the apprehended accomplices, gambling account transaction details, and exchange amounts, the investigative agency identified criminal proceeds amounting to 26.4 billion KRW and obtained a pre-indictment seizure order from the court. Five accomplices who have not been apprehended are still being pursued. Kang Gitaek, head of the National Police Agency’s Interpol International Cooperation Division, stated, "We will continue to relentlessly track and apprehend overseas-based multi-victim fraudsters and strengthen the cooperation network between Interpol and domestic agencies to ensure the recovery of criminal proceeds."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.