South Korean Arrested in Thailand for 250 Million Baht Investment Scam
South Korean investor scam kingpin arrested in Thailand after fleeing his country with over 250 million baht in fraudulent funds from more than 100 victims across a multi-level marketing scheme.
Police have arrested Mr. Lim, a senior figure in the Lucky Nine investment fraud organization, which operated 12 centers across South Korea including operations named Seolleung, Gold, and Somang. The scheme used a multi-level marketing structure, ranking investors from one to seven stars and offering commissions of 3–21% based on investment size. In reality, funds were diverted to online casino gambling abroad or used to pay earlier investors with money from later participants, with no genuine profit-generating intent. Over 100 victims lost more than 10 billion won, approximately 250 million baht. Investigators discovered that Mr. Lim entered Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 19, 2025, on a 90-day visa valid until December 17, 2025. After his visa expired, he went into hiding in Phuket before relocating to a luxury condominium in Nonthaburi province. Following coordinated surveillance between Region 6 police and the special operations task force, officers conducted a raid on September 3, 2026, and arrested the suspect at his accommodation.
