By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday reported the recent arrest of a South Korean couple wanted in their homeland for large-scale fraud.
In a belated report, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said Choi Jeongyun and Kim Minwoo, both 41, were arrested at their residence in Barangay Carmona, Makati City on April 4, after the BI received information from the South Korean government on the charges against them.
BI records show the overstaying aliens have not left the country since arriving in 2019.
The couple also has red notices from the International Criminal Police Organization due to arrest warrants issued against them by the Chucheon district court in South Korea.
“Upon deportation, their names will be included in our blacklist to prevent them from re-entering the country,” the BI chief said.
Authorities alleged that the couple engaged in voice phishing operations online which enabled them to defraud their victims of more than USD840,000 by pretending to be bankers or representatives of a financial institution.
Choi allegedly worked as a profit manager while Kim was employed as manager and telemarketer for the syndicate since 2017.
The foreigners are detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City where they will remain while awaiting deportation. (PNA)
