Vietnamese police have arrested a South Korean national wanted by Interpol in connection with a multimillion-dollar international investment fraud ring.
The suspect, Hong Sangwoo, 38, was taken into custody in Lam Dong Province, home to the popular tourist city of Da Lat, under an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol in September 2024.
According to Interpol, Hong was a key member of a sophisticated scam syndicate based in Cambodia. He was allegedly responsible for recruiting, training, and managing South Korean operatives, while also serving as a Korean-Chinese translator within the criminal network.
The syndicate impersonated British asset management firm Janus Henderson Group, luring victims—mostly in South Korea—via the popular messaging app KakaoTalk. Victims were invited into fake investment chat rooms and convinced to install a fraudulent stock trading app, promised with “high returns and absolute safety.”
Hong Sangwoo at a police station in Lam Dong Province, home to Da Lat City. Photo by Le Tien
Authorities estimate that the scheme defrauded investors of approximately 7 billion Korean won (US$5.2 million).
Hong had been on the run and was believed to be hiding in Vietnam. Based on intelligence shared by Interpol, Vietnamese authorities successfully located and arrested him this week.
The arrest highlights Vietnam’s growing cooperation in international law enforcement and its commitment to cracking down on transnational financial crimes. Extradition proceedings are currently underway.
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