Two brokers have been booked without physical detention on suspicion of producing fraudulent documents to help about 100 South Koreans get U.S. visas, police here said Monday.
The suspects, including a 43-year-old broker surnamed Cheong, are accused of fabricating the documents such as proof of employment, so that the visa applicants, who were ineligible for issuance for various reasons, could submit the falsified papers to the United States embassy in Seoul, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Of some 100 applicants, most of them have obtained B1/B2 tourist visas with the fake documents, police officers said, adding that more than 20 have already entered the U.S. using the visas after each paying between 3 million won ($2,730) and 7 million won as a commission to the brokers.
The two brokers allegedly pocketed a total of some 35 million won from the visa applicants, officers said.
The SMPA said it has also detained 18 people without physical detention on charges of paying the brokers for the fraudulent documents.
“A considerable number of the clients were women in their 20s and 30s seeking adult entertainment industry jobs in the U.S.,” a police officer close to the investigation said.
Police officers said they are pursing another broker, surnamed Lee, and 20 other clients with the cooperation of the U.S. investigative authorities. (Yonhap News)
