Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

Two Koreans sentenced to prison for role in Cambodia-based romance scam ring

Two Korean men received prison sentences for their roles in a romance scam in Cambodia, which defrauded 20 victims of approximately 840 million won. The court emphasized the seriousness of their involvement and societal harm.

2025-11-02

Court upholds man's sentence for online romance scam based in Cambodia

A man in his 20s who posed as a romantic partner to defraud victims in a Cambodia-based romance scam ring received a suspended prison sentence in his appeal trial, the court confirmed Friday.

2025-10-24

Members of voice phishing organization based in Cambodia sentenced to prison in 1st trial

Members of a “corporate-style” voice phishing organization based in Cambodia, who were tried for extorting hundreds of millions of won from multiple victims, were all sentenced to prison in the first trial.

2025-10-18

Police, bank teller stop woman from sending 27 million won to 'boyfriend' in romance scam

A woman in her 70s nearly lost 27 million won ($19,400) to a romance scammer posing as a U.S. soldier, but a quick-thinking bank teller and police officers intervened in time, police said on Sunday.

2025-09-15

19 Koreans caught running romance scam in Thailand

Nineteen Koreans were arrested in Thailand for operating a romance scam from a villa, with ongoing investigations and potential repatriation.

2025-07-22

Swiss man flies to Korea, gives $150K to romance scammer posing as woman

A Swiss man flew to Korea to catch his thought-to-be female romance scammer, who turned out to be a man.

2024-03-13

Jeon Cheong-jo indicted for $2.3M fraud

Jeon Cheong-jo, ex-fiancé of Olympic fencer Nam Hyun-hee, was indicted on fraud charges along with an accomplice who pretended to be her bodyguard. The duo is accused of swindling $2.3 million from 27 people.

2023-12-01

Olympian's ex-fiancé accused of romance scam while in relationship

The man told the police that the two made contact through a dating app where Jeon had approached him as a woman. However, at the time Jeon was still in a relationship with Nam Hyun-hee, posing as a man.

2023-11-01

Olympic fencer believed ex-fiancé had testicle transplant

Fencing Olympian and medalist Nam Hyun-hee not only called her ex-fiancé the “devil” but also pleaded innocence regarding her former paramour’s alleged scams.

2023-10-30