Cambodian Voice Phishing Ringleader Sentenced to 14 Years for $44.3 Billion Fraud

All 13 Members Sentenced to Prison
Confiscation of 115.64 Million Won in Criminal Proceeds Ordered

All members of a group arrested earlier this year for running a large-scale voice phishing scam as part of a Cambodian criminal organization, which defrauded hundreds of billions of won, have been sentenced to prison terms. The ringleader received a severe sentence of 14 years in prison.

Exterior view of the Daejeon District Court Cheonan Branch building. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to Yonhap News on July 13, the Criminal Division 1 of the Cheonan Branch of Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Cho Youngjin) sentenced Mr. A (45) and Mr. B (26), who were arrested and indicted on charges including joining a criminal organization, to 14 years and 13 years in prison, respectively. Among the group, C, who is a minor, was sentenced to a long-term sentence of 6 years and a short-term sentence of 5 years, and a total of 8 people received sentences of 5 years or more. Five others, including Mr. D, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 2 years and 6 months to 4 years, meaning all 13 members of the organization received prison sentences. The court also ordered the confiscation of up to 115.64 million won in criminal proceeds.

Mr. A and others joined a Cambodian criminal group last year and impersonated court clerks, prosecutors, Financial Supervisory Service and Korea Federation of Banks employees, defrauding 44.3 billion won from a total of 318 victims. After identifying victims' professions and financial status, they threatened to arrest them while impersonating prosecutors, forcing the victims to install remote control apps on their mobile phones to monitor them. They also contacted some victims, pretending to be Financial Supervisory Service officials, and lured them into taking out loans. The group was apprehended earlier this year during a crackdown operation jointly conducted by the Korean police's Cambodia Task Force and local authorities.

The court stated, "The crime was meticulously planned and executed in a cell-based structure with each member assigned specific roles, and the scale of the damage is significant." The court added, "Given the magnitude of the damage, it is difficult to expect full recovery for the victims." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "Victims who suffered severe financial losses and psychological distress are petitioning for heavy punishment." The court further emphasized, "In particular, Mr. A and Mr. B played central roles in the organization and were pivotal to the commission of the crime, which warrants severe sentences." However, the court dismissed all victims' applications for compensation orders, stating, "The scope of liability for compensation is unclear, or the crimes do not qualify for such orders."

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