THE police said yesterday they have arrested the leader of a cryptocurrency scam operation that defrauded investors of 16bil won (RM51.9mil), and underwent plastic surgery to avoid being arrested.
The man in his 40s was apprehended earlier this month for deceiving 158 victims between November 2021 and June 2022 by promising a monthly return of 18% on investments in a so-called cryptocurrency mining business, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Police said the victims lost amounts ranging from 1.2mil won to 250mil won.
The man has been on the run for 10 months after failing to appear at his pre-trial detention hearing in September 2023.
The court issued an arrest warrant and the police began tracking him down.
The authorities said he managed to evade investigators by altering his appearance through plastic surgery on his eyes, nose and face contour – which cost about 21mil won – and by wearing wigs.
The police said they were able to arrest the man in an apartment in Guri, Gyeonggi province, by using surveillance footage, phone records and Internet search histories. — The Korea Herald/ANN
