Three Elderly South Korean Men Arrested Over Drugged Coffee Golf Betting Scam Worth $52,000
Police in Seoul say three men in their 60s and 70s drugged a golfer's coffee before a high-stakes match and then collected 75 million won (about $52,000) in bets. One suspect is in detention and two were referred to prosecutors.
GamblingSource: GamblingNews
Seoul's Namdaemun Police have accused three elderly South Korean gamblers of drugging an opponent before a golf match and then collecting winnings of 75 million won, around $52,000, after he lost the bet.
According to investigators, the suspects, aged in their 60s and 70s, spent months preparing the scheme. They are said to have made contact with the victim in May and played several matches with him, deliberately losing some bets while gradually raising the stakes in order to build his trust. In July they arranged a high-stakes game at a golf course in Gyeonggi Province, near Seoul.
Police say each man had a defined role. One recruited the victim and obtained the drugs, another put the substance into the coffee and handled the payments, and the third acted as a lookout. The alleged tampering took place on July 30, just before the game, while the target briefly went to the restroom. Surveillance footage from the course reportedly shows the suspects interfering with a disposable coffee cup, watching the entrance and handing the drink to the victim.
The victim then played two rounds, covering 36 holes, despite impaired motor skills and judgment. Media reports cited by the source say the substance contained a sedative that can cause temporary memory loss. Tests of his urine and hair samples found psychotropic substances, and investigators checked prescription records and consulted medical experts to confirm the drugs had not been prescribed to him for any legitimate purpose.
After the match, the trio allegedly told the victim he had lost the wager and demanded payment at a restaurant. He transferred 75 million won to a bank account controlled by the suspects. Police allege that the man who prepared the coffee collected and laundered the money before it was divided equally among the three.
One suspect, a man in his 60s, remains in detention, while the other two were referred to prosecutors without being held in custody. A police official, quoted by The Korea Herald, said the case showed how drug-related crime had spread into everyday leisure activities and public spaces, and that authorities would take a firm stance and devote all available investigative resources to such offences.
Based on reporting by GamblingNews.