A South Korean wanted by authorities in Seoul for involvement in financial fraud was nabbed by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the fugitive as You Hyun Tea, 53. He was collared in his residence at Cordova, Cebu last June 4 by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) headed by Rendel Ryan Sy.
“He was arrested on the strength of a deportation warrant that was issued pursuant to the said deportation order. He was also included in our immigration blacklist which perpetually barred him from re-entering the Philippines,” Tansingco said.
Records say that You arrived in the country on May 30, 2003 and never departed for the past 21 years.
“This time we will make sure that this overstaying alien and wanted fugitive is deported to his country so he can stand trial and be made to pay for his alleged crimes,” Sy said.
According to Sy, a warrant for You’s arrest was issued by the Mokpo branch of the Gwangju district court on Feb. 15, 2020 after he was indicted for fraud and violation of Korea’s electronic financial transactions act.
Korean authorities alleged that You conspired with other suspects in running an illegal sports gambling site in the internet which they used to solicit money from victims who were promised huge profits and dividends on their investments.
The syndicate’s earnings from the racket reportedly amounted to more than 110 million won, or roughly US$80,000.
You, who is also undocumented due to the revocation of his passport by the Korean government, is now detained at the BI warden’s facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while awaiting deportation.
Tansingco said that You will soon be sent back to Korea as an order for his summary deportation was already issued by the BI board of commissioners in 2021.
