A recruiter who lured Koreans into an investment fraud ring at the "Mango Complex," known as the largest criminal den in Cambodia, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
On the 25th, Judge Ko So-young of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 9 single-judge panel sentenced a person surnamed Kim, 40, who was indicted and detained on charges including joining and engaging in a criminal organization and fraud, to seven years in prison and a forfeiture of 200,000 won. The court also found Kim guilty of violating the Narcotics Control Act, including marijuana, and ordered 40 hours of a drug addiction rehabilitation program.
The court said, "This crime was an organized and premeditated offense targeting an unspecified number of victims, and given the social harm, harsh punishment is inevitable." However, it added, "The defendant confessed, and the actual gains from the crime were not large compared with the damage amount, which were considered as favorable circumstances."
Kim was brought to trial on charges of joining a criminal organization at the Mango Complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in January 2024 and acting as a recruiter to enlist members.
In February of the same year, Kim enlisted an acquaintance in Korea as a domestic recruiter and recruited five people as sales team members of the criminal organization. It was also confirmed that two people, including an acquaintance in Korea, were brought in as sales team members of the criminal organization.
The group posed as investment experts and promised high returns from stocks, and over several months was found to have swindled about 8 billion won from more than 60 victims.