3 foreigners wanted for telco fraud, economic crimes arrested in PH

MANILA, Philippines — Three foreign nationals wanted for telecommunications fraud and economic crimes in their respective countries were arrested in separate operations in Luzon, the Bureau on Immigration (BI) reported Monday.

BI commissioner Jaime Morente said two South Koreans identified as 25-year old Kim Changan and 38-year old Kim Junhee were arrested in two separate operations in Makati and Pampanga last week.

Citing the Interpol’s national central bureau (NCB) in Manila, the BI said Kim Changan is allegedly the leader of a telecom fraud syndicate based in China which engaged in voice phishing to defraud its victims of more than 63 million won or nearly US$53 million.

Meanwhile, also based on information from the NCB, the BI said Kim Junhee was also tagged as a member of a telecom fraud syndicate based in China that defrauded its victims of over 110 million won or about US$92 million.

BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy said an arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Central District Court against Kim Changan in October 2020 while Kim Junhee faces a warrant issued by Seoul Nambu District Court in July 2019.

Aside from the two South Koreans, the BI also arrested a Chinese woman identified as 51-year old Zhang Yujie in Mandaluyong City last week.

The BI said Chinese authorities sought her deportation due to an arrest warrant that was issued against her in her home country for alleged involvement in economic crime activities.

The three foreign nationals are held at the BI’s facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City pending the implementation of their deportation.

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