MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a South Korean fugitive wanted by authorities in Seoul for operating a multi-million dollar telephone fraud scheme that victimized his compatriots in 2015.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Jung Hyojin, 35, is now detained at the immigration facility in Bicutan, Taguig after he was arrested by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit in Malate, Manila on Thursday.
He noted that the foreigner is the subject of an Interpol red notice and has three standing arrest warrants by the Seoul central district court where he was indicted for organizing a fraud syndicate, an offense that carries a maximum jail term of 10 years.
“Like all the other wanted foreign criminals that we caught after hiding here to avoid prosecution, he (Jung), too, will be deported to face trial in his homeland and receive punishment for his crimes,” Morente said.
His presence here poses a threat to public safety and security,” the BI chief added.
Morente said the Jung is an overstaying and undocumented alien as his passport was cancelled by the South Korean government.
A check of the BI database showed that the South Korean fled to Manila on Feb. 23, 2015 and did not leave the country since then.
BI intelligence officer Bobby Raquepo said Jung headed a criminal organization in his country from 2013 to 2015 which defrauded victims of more than USD8 million.
The FSU chief added that the group operated a telecom fraud call center which made phone calls to victims who were coerced to give their money after being harassed and intimidated by callers who pretended to be police investigators.
Investigators alleged that the syndicate operated its business from February 2013 to February 2015 after which Jung and his cohorts disappeared and absconded with the victims’ money. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
