Family With Intellectual Disabilities Unaware of Eldest Son's Death; Younger Brother Also Falls Victim to Fraud

Eldest Son Dies of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, No Criminal Suspicion

Eight Electronic Devices Opened Under Younger Brother's Name

Agency Employee Under Investigation

It has belatedly come to light that in a family where the mother and both sons have intellectual disabilities, the eldest son—a man in his 20s—was found dead, several days after his passing. Separately, police are investigating a telecommunications agency employee who allegedly deceived the deceased man’s younger brother into opening eight electronic device accounts under his name.

According to Jungnang Police Station, Seoul, on August 6, a man in his 20s with intellectual disabilities, identified as A, was found dead in a house in Jungnang-gu. Police, responding to a report from his younger brother B that A was unresponsive, discovered that A’s body had already begun to decompose, indicating several days had passed since his death. It was determined that although A lived with his mother and younger brother, neither the mother nor B recognized A’s death due to their own severe intellectual disabilities.

Jungnang Police Station, Seoul

Police believe that A died two to three days before he was found, and concluded that no foul play was involved. An autopsy by the National Forensic Service confirmed that the cause of death was sudden cardiac arrest.

Meanwhile, the police are investigating the telecommunications agency employee on suspicion of quasi-fraud for deceiving B, who has an intellectual disability, into opening eight electronic devices such as mobile phones in his name for financial gain. In May 2026, with the help of a social worker, B filed a complaint with the police asking for an investigation into C, a man in his 20s working at the agency. Quasi-fraud refers to a crime where someone exploits another’s physical or mental disability for financial benefit.

C allegedly opened a total of eight devices—including mobile phones, tablet PCs, and smartwatches—under B’s name on three separate occasions at a telecommunications agency in Jungnang-gu between March and November 2024. It was found that C installed internet and IPTV services obtained via these devices at his own home, using them free of charge. The complaint detailed that C pocketed commissions from device sales, appropriated some of the devices, and gained over 9 million won in illicit profits.

C, who was questioned by police for the first time in July 2026, reportedly denied all charges. Police intend to continue their investigation based on related evidence.

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