Illegal gambling ringleader in South Korea referred for prosecution

• A man, who is allegedly a ringleader of a large-scale illegal gambling ring, was extradited to South Korea
• The suspect was referred to prosecution recently
• The massive illegal gambling operation generated nearly $20m in ill-gained proceeds

A South Korea man, believed to be a ringleader of a massive illegal gambling syndicate, was recently referred to prosecution in the country.

The man, whose identity wasn't publicly disclosed, was extradited from the UAE to South Korea earlier this month.

The suspect allegedly held a major role in an illegal gambling ring

Accusations against the suspect, a man in his 30s, claim that he operated illegal gambling websites for years before getting caught.

He was reportedly orchestrated a large-scale illegal gambling operation, encompassing more than 1,000 websites.

The suspect, together with his accomplices, allegedly operated illegal gambling websites between December 2013 and August 2017, as well as between April 2021 and December 2023, as announced by the local media outlet, the ChoSun Daily.

A police officer, quoted by the media outlet, claimed the suspect was a major supplier for the illegal online gambling vertical and has played a key role in the operation of more than 1,400 gambling websites in South Korea.

The same official explained that the prosecution is pursuing pre-indictment of confiscation and forfeiture of the suspect's ill-gained proceeds.

At the same time, the law enforcement officer highlighted that the efforts against illegal gambling operations will continue.

Overall, the illegal gambling syndicate was valued at the mind-blowing sum of 10.3 trillion won, or $6.9bn.

For the years the illegal gambling websites operated, an estimated 26bn won, or $17.3m, was earned in ill-gained proceeds.

Of the overmentioned total, the suspect allegedly collected 6bn won, or just above $4m.

For years, the man, who is now in his 30s, was hiding in the Philippines from where he helped with the operation of the thousands of illegal gambling websites.

To avoid detection, the suspect fled to Cambodia and Malaysia, together with his co-conspirators.

However, South Korea conducted a massive cross-border investigation that ultimately helped bring down the criminal group.

Operating a cross-border illegal gambling ring can face a tough punishment in South Korea.

If a person is convicted on such charge, they can receive up to five years in prison, along with hefty monetary sanctions, as well as additional charges for tax evasion, concealing of criminal proceeds and assets forfeiture.

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