South Korean Man Arrested for Defrauding People for Gambling Funds

Police in Busan, South Korea, have taken into custody a man in his twenties who is accused of swindling 11 acquaintances, including a younger colleague from his military service, out of tens of millions of won and spending the money on gambling.

Police Arrest Man Accused of Defrauding Friends for Gambling Money

The investigation began in late August, and officers eventually traced the man, whom the police referred to as “A,” to Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, where he was arrested on the 10th. Police said the suspect told acquaintances he needed money for his father’s medical expenses, but instead used the funds for gambling.

According to police reports, A left military service without obtaining stable employment. During this time, he reportedly relied heavily on gambling, spending KRW 30 million (about $20,500) he had saved during his military service, along with an additional KRW 40 million (around $27,300) provided by his parents. However, the money eventually ran out, and authorities noted that that’s when A began deceiving others.

Investigators believe he reached out to former military juniors and middle school classmates to solicit funds, ultimately obtaining KRW 42 million (approximately $31,500) from 11 individuals before the scheme was uncovered. Authorities say the suspect has admitted to borrowing the money but has not offered a clear explanation for the deception. 

Police are now reviewing evidence to assess the full extent of the financial damage suffered by his victims. Prosecutors are expected to review the circumstances of the alleged offenses as the case moves through the judicial process.

Authorities Double Down on the Illegal Gambling Scene

A’s arrest is only one of the over 5,000 gambling-related arrests that South Korean authorities have made just over the past year. The country has been tightening its grip on illegal gambling in recent times, and the majority of the arrested have all been suspects in participating in some form of illicit games of chance or betting.

These crackdowns follow a surge in illegal gambling that the country has seen over the past few years. Government data from the National Gambling Control Commission, provided to an opposition lawmaker, indicates a sharp increase in reported cases. Incidents of illegal online gambling in South Korea rose from 13,064 in 2019 to 39,082 in 2023, effectively tripling over that period.

While many of these instances revolve around single individuals participating in illicit gambling, some cases span much broader and involve enormous sums of money. One of the biggest such cases happened recently, when South Korean authorities busted an illegal gambling group that allegedly processed over  KRW 5.3 trillion ($3.8 billion) in transactions via casino-connected online platforms based in the Philippines.