Police Arrest and Extradite Mastermind of 1.4 Billion Won Voice Phishing Scam from China

One of Six Organization Leaders Arrested Locally This Year
Remaining Five to Be Repatriated After Administrative Procedures

Mr. A, the mastermind of an organization involved in a 1.4 billion KRW telephone financial fraud (voice phishing) case, who was apprehended in China, is being forcibly repatriated through Incheon Airport on the 24th. / Photo by the National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] A man in his 40s, the mastermind behind a 1.4 billion KRW telephone financial fraud (voice phishing) operation who was apprehended in China, has been forcibly repatriated to South Korea.

The National Police Agency announced on the 25th that they arrested A (44), the mastermind of the telephone financial fraud organization, on charges including violation of the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, in cooperation with Chinese public security authorities, and repatriated him through Incheon Airport the previous day. This is the first case this year in which one of the six masterminds of voice phishing organizations apprehended locally in China and the Philippines through cooperation with local investigative authorities has been repatriated to South Korea.

A is accused of being the mastermind of a voice phishing organization established in the Philippines in March 2016, deceiving over 120 victims with bait such as low-interest refinancing loans and embezzling approximately 1.4 billion KRW. Investigations revealed that he began his criminal activities as a subordinate member of a voice phishing group in China in May 2012. While tracking A’s overseas hideout, the police obtained intelligence earlier this year that he was hiding in China and arrested him on the 13th of this month.

In addition, the police achieved success in the first half of this year by apprehending five masterminds of voice phishing operations based in China, the Philippines, Thailand, and other locations. Among them, F, who was arrested in the Philippines in May, is suspected of operating an illegal cryptocurrency leading-room scam organization. The police, in cooperation with local investigative authorities, arrested F along with three members of the organization. The police plan to repatriate them to South Korea once local administrative procedures are completed.

The National Police Agency has been operating a "Special Reporting and Voluntary Surrender Period for Overseas Telephone Financial Fraud" since this month. Additional police liaison officers have been dispatched to key countries where major criminal organizations are based, including the Philippines, China, Thailand, and Cambodia, to track and apprehend criminals operating overseas. Kang Gitaek, head of the International Affairs Division at the National Police Agency’s Interpol department, stated, "We will continue to respond meticulously to malicious fraud crimes based overseas and strengthen international cooperation to ensure that, within the limits permitted by the laws of related countries, recovery of the damages can also be achieved."

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