How Plastic Surgery Helped A Korean Scammer Evade Arrest For Nearly A Year
On August 29, KST, the Korean police announced that they had busted the leader of a cryptocurrency scam operation after months of chasing.
The man in his 40s, identified as “A,” was apprehended earlier this month for duping 158 victims between November 2021 and June 2022. He promised them a monthly return of 18% on their investment in a so-called cryptocurrency mining business. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, each of the victims has lost amounts ranging from ₩1.20 million KRW (about $901 USD) to ₩250 million KRW (about $188,000 USD).
After defrauding investors of a total of ₩16.0 billion KRW (about $12.0 million USD), “A” failed to appear at his pre-trial detention hearing last September. The court then issued an arrest warrant, and the police started tracking him down.
According to the police, “A” managed to slip past authorities for ten months by altering his appearance through plastic surgery and wigs. He had his eyes, nose, and face contour altered surgically, all of which cost about ₩21.0 million KRW (about $15,800 USD). The police found that “B,” the head of a law firm hired by “A,” connected him to the plastic surgery clinic and wig company to help him escape.
The police had to track the perpetrator down using phone records, internet search histories, and surveillance footage. In the end, after ten months of a chase, he was caught in an apartment in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. According to the police, the man used the money he scammed out of his victims to build a new house. When he was arrested, they also found ₩100 million KRW (about $75,100 USD) in cash at the scene.
During his arrest, the culprit reportedly showed no remorse. In addition to the cash, the police also confiscated ₩1.30 billion KRW (about $976,000 USD) worth of assets belonging to “A” and the others involved in this scam. All accused parties now await indictment.
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