SEOUL, Nov 26: Police said on Wednesday they have busted South Korea’s biggest-ever “pyramid” financial scam involving nearly $2.6 billion collected from tens of thousands of investors.

They said they are hunting 14 swindlers, including Cho Hee-Pal who is accused of raising about 3.9 trillion won ($2.6 billion) from more than 30,000 investors.

Cho, 51, established a company called BMC in 2004 to lease medical devices to hospitals, bathhouses and beauty salons and recruited investors the way multi-level merchandising firms do.

He and other suspects fled early this month when police launched an investigation in two cities, Daegu and Daejeon.

“This is the country’s largest pyramid fraud case.

The amount of money involved and the number of victims have been swelling,” said Kwon Duk-Eon, a police spokesman in Daejeon.

“Many investors may not retrieve their money because it’s hard for investigators to track the bank accounts of Cho’s group,” he said.

Police said Cho’s company lured investors, mostly middle-aged or elderly women with scant financial knowledge, with the promise of high returns. Many reinvested their dividends in the company.

Police arrested the company’s vice chief on Monday, and charged 103 employees without ordering their detention.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...
Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...