Woman arrested for swindling $428,000 from job seekers to South Korea

By Chau Thanh January 21, 2024 | 06:28 am PT

Le Thi Chuc Phuong at a police station in Hau Giang Province, Jan. 21, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Chau Thanh

Le Thi Chuc Phuong, a 43-year-old Vietnamese-South Korean woman, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding hundreds seeking employment in South Korea, resulting in a theft of VND10.5 billion (US$427,800).

Phuong faces charges of "fraudulent appropriation of property". She enticed applicants with promises of salaries ranging from VND40-50 million monthly, charging each a brokering fee of VND35 million. However, she failed to fulfill these promises and did not facilitate their travel to South Korea, leading to her being reported to the authorities.

Originating from southern Ca Mau Province in Vietnam, Phuong is married to a South Korean and resides there, earning her livelihood through farming and operating a job brokerage service.

In 2022, Phuong often returned to her hometown and came to Hau Giang where she spread the news of recruiting people to work in South Korea for seasonal jobs.

Police said since 2022, she has scammed as many as 111 people and swindled VND10.5 billion from them. In one particular case, she tricked a person to send her more than VND1.4 billion.