Luxury Goods Personal Shoppers Who Even Forged a French Police Report Indicted Without Detention

[Financial News] A group that ran a luxury goods personal shopping business and defrauded victims of more than 200 million won has been indicted. It was also found that, as victims continued to protest, they forged documents related to a theft report in the name of a French police officer in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The Criminal Division 4 of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Hyeong-gil, announced on the 28th that it had indicted without detention A, 43, and B, 37, co-operators of an overseas luxury goods purchasing agency, on charges of fraud, forgery of private documents, and use of forged private documents.
According to prosecutors, A and B are accused of operating the business from around October 2022 to around July 2023 by using membership fees and deposits received from members to cover operating expenses such as salaries, in a so-called Ponzi-style scheme. Although their finances had worsened and they had neither the intent nor the ability to provide purchasing services or return deposits even if they received additional membership fees, they are confirmed to have taken a total of 216.91 million won from seven victims under the pretext of membership fees and deposits.
The case took a new turn as the victims' complaints continued. A and others are also accused of forging and submitting to police a 'crime report in the name of a French police officer' stating that items they had stored were stolen from a warehouse in France in around September 2023.
Police investigators, relying on the report, concluded that the luxury goods kept by A and others had been stolen, leaving them bankrupt, and sent the case back without indictment in March last year on the grounds that there was no suspicion of a crime.
However, after receiving the appeal case in May of that year, prosecutors determined that the authenticity of the document needed to be verified and requested international judicial mutual assistance from France. In January, the French side replied that the document was not one actually prepared by a French police officer when receiving a warehouse theft report.
Prosecutors found that A and others had altered the date and content of a police document originally prepared in connection with a theft incident at a former company employee's private residence in France, and then forged the document.
Prosecutors also analyzed corporate and personal account transaction records, employee salaries, and data on unpaid four major insurance contributions, while reinvestigating the victims in full. As a result, they confirmed signs that members' deposits were used for corporate operating expenses, employee salaries, repayment of loans, and payment for orders placed by other members. It was also revealed that the defendants continued to receive salaries even as wage arrears persisted.
On the 20th, prosecutors additionally identified and investigated A and others on charges of forgery of private documents and use of forged private documents, and they reportedly confessed to the crimes.
A prosecution official said, "We will work to restore the rights of victims and respond strictly to fraud crimes targeting ordinary citizens and vulnerable groups, as well as to offenders who undermine judicial order by submitting false evidence to investigative agencies or courts."
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter