A man in his 20s exploited artificial intelligence to create convincing fake documents, deceiving a judge and scamming 20 victims out of roughly 320 million won. Prosecutors secured his arrest through a supplementary investigation after initial detention approval.
The Scam Tactics
Authorities arrested suspect A, aged 27, on the 6th for detention following an examination by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. From late August to early October, A generated AI-powered images mimicking frozen bank accounts, combined judgment notices for national exam suspicions, and gas exchange voucher content. Posing as a wealthy individual from corporate, legal firm, or affiliate backgrounds, he lured victims into fraudulent investments.
One victim, a young real estate investor named Shim, received assurances of 900 million won in an account but fell for AI-forged investigation documents. A scammed approximately 320 million won across 20 cases under pretexts like investment returns.
Deceiving the Court
A convinced the court to alter detention terms by submitting AI-generated notes claiming full asset liquidation for victim refunds. Even after partial refunds to one victim, another complainant emerged, highlighting unpaid restitution and prompting further scrutiny.
Investigators determined A fabricated suspicion documents using AI for fraudulent intent. He employed similar tactics on additional victims and detectives. Prosecutors reissued an arrest warrant, leading to his rearrest.
Investigator Insights
Case handlers stated, “Non-experts cannot reliably distinguish AI-generated images from authentic ones, enabling the suspect to mislead even judges.” They added, “The supplementary investigation precisely traced the origins of the legal documents, facilitating the arrest.”
The probe continues, incorporating scam records and asset seizures to expose the full scope of AI-assisted fraud.
