Money laundering ring busted for laundering proceeds from fraud groups

A money laundering operation has been dismantled, targeting over 90 billion won (US$67 million) of illicit funds associated with fraudulent groups, according to police in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency arrested seven individuals, including a suspected ringleader, and handed them over to prosecutors for charges related to concealing criminal proceeds.

The suspects allegedly laundered money between June 2025 and February 2026, employing shell companies masquerading as gift certificate distributors in Seoul and four Gyeonggi cities. They allegedly converted funds gained from fraudulent stock trades and secondhand goods sales into cash or checks, which were then transferred to the criminal organizations.

The money launderers did not directly engage in the fraudulent schemes but specialized in laundering criminal proceeds for commissions. They used gift certificate vendors to disguise large deposits and withdrawals as legitimate business transactions.