A mother in her 90s who helped launder her son's money while he was imprisoned in Cambodia was sentenced to prison.
On Apr. 13, Judge Wi Eun-suk of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 15 Single-Judge Panel said the court sentenced a defendant, identified only as A, to one year in prison and ordered a forfeiture of 386.42 million won for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Prevention of Illegal Trafficking in Narcotics, etc.
A is accused of concealing illegal revenue by receiving cash in Korea from unidentified individuals and remitting it to designated accounts at the direction of a son in his 60s, B. B is serving time in Cambodia for narcotics offenses.
From Apr. 2020 to Feb. 2022, A laundered money by receiving about 386.42 million won in cash and remitting about 350.22 million won of it to accounts designated by B. The funds A received were known to be related to narcotics crimes.
A argued A did not know the funds were narcotics crime revenue.
However, the court did not accept this. The court said, "Considering B's prior narcotics offenses and overseas stay, among other factors, it is judged A was aware of this," adding, "The amounts involved were large, and the degree of participation was not minor."
However, the court added, "In setting the sentence, the court considered A's advanced age and the fact that A took part in the crime at the son's direction."
However, B's daughter, C, who was indicted on the same charge, was acquitted. The court found there was insufficient evidence to prove C's involvement.
Prosecutors are currently seeking B's repatriation to Korea. B, who is in a local prison in Cambodia, was found to have distributed narcotics into Korea with accomplices.