Extortion of hundreds of millions of won by showing off wealth... 50-year-old arrested for ‘romance scam’

A man in his 50s who extorted hundreds of millions of won through the so-called ‘romance scam’, which extorts money by exploiting the other person’s favor, was arrested and handed over to trial.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced that Mr. A, in his 50s, was arrested and indicted on the 14th on charges of fraud and intimidation.

Mr. A approached B, a woman he met through an application earlier this year, introducing himself as an executive of a foreign company.

The two people, who had many common interests such as religion, quickly became close and began dating.

Afterwards, Mr. A asked Mr. B to lend him 7.8 million won, saying that he needed to urgently settle the remaining debt owed to his parents.

Mr. A's crimes became more bold. It was revealed that less than a week after receiving 7.8 million won, he again asked Mr. B to lend him 320 million won.

He emphasized that he is receiving an annual salary in the hundreds of millions of won, and that if his new business is successful, he could receive performance bonuses worth billions of won.

In particular, he reassured Mr. B by promising to get married and saying that he would introduce his parents.

In response, Mr. B remitted 320 million won, but Mr. A's attitude changed drastically. He began to use abusive language and even assaulted Mr. B, who asked for a breakup.

Due to continued demands for money and stalking, Mr. B eventually filed a complaint against Mr. A.

Mr. A, who was under police investigation, was arrested last July, and the prosecution, which took over the case, decided to indict Mr. A.

“Mr. A lied about all information, including his social history, residence, and educational background,” said Lee Kwang-soo, a lawyer at Daeryun Law Firm (Lihan), who served as the legal representative for the victim.

He added, “This case is a typical ‘romance scam’ crime that extorts money under the guise of love,” and added, “As the victim is currently complaining of extreme damage to the extent that daily life is difficult, there is a need for severe punishment.”

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