BI nabs two fugitive Koreans for telecom fraud
By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is deporting two South Koreans wanted by authorities in their country for alleged telecom fraud.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) identified the fugitives as Kim Youngsoo, 38, and Choi Youngsoo, 38.
They were arrested on Valentine’s Day by FSU operatives at their residence in Barangay Baudago in Angeles City, Pampanga.
FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy said a deportation order against Kim and Choi was already issued by the BI board of commissioners in 2015 after the South Korean authorities informed the bureau about their crimes.
Information provided by the Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila revealed that both Kim and Choi are subjects of arrest warrants issued by the Busan district court in South Korea.
They were charged with conspiring with three other suspects in running a voice phishing operation from Bangkok, Thailand from March to June 2015 which preyed on many of their compatriots in Manila.
The suspects allegedly hacked the computers and obtained personal information about their victims to whom they made telephone calls by pretending that they are bank officers.
Combined losses incurred by the victims reportedly amounted to more than 196.5 million won or roughly US$164,000.
Both aliens are presently detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending the implementation of the deportation order against them.