Korean University Student Dies in Cambodian Voice Phishing Case... Recruiter Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison

Transferring Criminal Proceeds to Other Accounts
"Committed the Crime Despite Knowing It Would Endanger the Victim's Safety"

A domestic recruiter involved in the case of a Korean university student who died after being tortured by a Cambodian voice phishing organization has been sentenced to prison.

According to Yonhap News on April 24, the Criminal Division of the Andong Branch of the Daegu District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jeongmok) sentenced a man in his 20s, identified as A, to six years in prison. He was charged with violating the Special Act on the Prevention of Telecommunication Financial Fraud and Refund of Damages, among other offenses, for handing over the university student to a Cambodian voice phishing ring, which resulted in the student's death.

On July 16 of last year, A had student B (who died in August last year at the age of 22) open a bank account, sent him to Cambodia, and then, on July 24, transferred criminal proceeds totaling 51.43 million won from B's account to other accounts in seven separate transactions, a practice known as "account layering." In addition, A is also charged with embezzling more than 210 million won from four other voice phishing victims.

When the voice phishing organization realized the criminal proceeds had disappeared, they tortured B and threatened him to "hand over the money." Ultimately, B was found dead inside a vehicle near Bokosan, Cambodia, on August 8 of last year.

The court stated, "A committed the crime knowing that 'account layering' could pose a significant risk to B, who was being held by the criminal organization. Considering that this ultimately led to B's death, the severity of the crime is extremely grave."

Meanwhile, C, a university senior of B who conspired with A, was sentenced last month by the Daegu District Court to four years in prison on similar charges. C was found to have been involved both in sending B to Cambodia and in A's "account layering" activities.

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