Repatriated from the Philippines after 6 years... Mastermind of Illegal Gambling Site Worth 1.3 Trillion KRW Arrested

Kim Mo (44), nicknamed the 'Philippine Gambling King,' who operated illegal gambling sites and amassed 1.3 trillion won, has been arrested. Kim had been living in exile in the Philippines for over six years before recently being extradited to South Korea.

According to the legal community on the 4th, Seoul Central District Court Judge Yoo Chang-hoon, in charge of warrants, held a pre-arrest detention hearing for Kim on the 1st on charges including operating gambling establishments and organizing a criminal group, and issued an arrest warrant citing "risk of flight."

Kim Mo (44), the head of a gambling organization who operated an illegal gambling site and gained unfair profits of 1.3 trillion won, is being forcibly repatriated through Incheon International Airport on the 30th of last month.
[Photo by National Police Agency]

Kim, who fled to the Philippines in February 2017 after being wanted in four cases due to police investigations while operating online gambling sites in South Korea, settled in Manila and reopened online gambling sites. He is accused of broadcasting baccarat and other gambling games held in hotel casinos in real-time and running a 'private Toto' betting on Korean and overseas sports events, amassing 1.3 trillion won. Kim reportedly established eight offices in Manila and managed nearly 200 members, operating four gambling teams: 'Sports Toto Team,' 'Baccarat Team,' 'Site Management Team,' and 'Support Team.' The police captured and repatriated 16 out of 20 members of the organization in the Philippines and arrested 166 out of 177 domestic members.

During his exile in the Philippines, Kim lived a luxurious life until he was arrested locally in September 2021. It took an additional two years after his arrest for the police, the National Intelligence Service, and Philippine investigative agencies working together to extradite him to South Korea. Well-versed in the Philippine criminal justice system, Kim exploited the fact that if involved in a criminal case locally, he would not be deported to Korea until the trial concluded. He had third parties file two lawsuits against him on charges of fraud and special threats. As his extradition was repeatedly delayed, the Korean National Police Agency requested early extradition cooperation from the Philippine Ministry of Justice through the Korean Embassy in the Philippines. Since July, the police held weekly working-level meetings with the Philippine Ministry of Justice, and through bilateral cooperation, secured the Philippine Ministry of Justice's deportation decision for Kim on the 18th of last month.

Kim struggled to delay his extradition until the last moment. Even after the deportation decision, he had third parties file lawsuits against him on charges of using forged checks and violating tax laws. When the Philippine Ministry of Justice reversed the deportation decision, Lee Sang-hwa, the Korean Ambassador to the Philippines, who was informed of this, strongly requested cooperation for extradition again. Ultimately, the Philippine Ministry of Justice accepted the ambassador's request, and Kim's attempts failed. On the morning of the 30th at 5 a.m., the passenger plane carrying Kim from Manila landed at Incheon International Airport, ending his long period of exile.

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