By Baek Byung-yeul
Kang Tae-yong, 54, the "number two" man of Cho Hee-pal, a notorious conman who allegedly swindled some 40,000 investors out of 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) through a pyramid scheme, claimed Wednesday that his former boss died in 2011.
Kang, who was arrested in China after seven years on the run 68 days ago and extradited to Korea, told reporters that he witnessed his boss die in December 2011.
Though he was reported to have died from cardiac arrest there, there have been strong doubts about whether Cho really passed away as his death had not been verified so far.
Kang made the comment as he arrived at the district prosecutors' office in Daegu for questioning Wednesday. The extradition came after Korea asked China to arrest Kang, who faces more than 30 charges.
Along with his boss Cho, Kang allegedly defrauded the investors from 2004 to 2008, saying that their medical appliance rental and insurance business would guarantee a high return. After pooling about 4 trillion won from them, Kang fled to China in 2008 while Cho, who would be 58 if alive, fled there in 2010 amid an investigation. Prosecutors reopened their probe into the pair last year.
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| Kang Tae-yong |
Kang, who was arrested in China after seven years on the run 68 days ago and extradited to Korea, told reporters that he witnessed his boss die in December 2011.
Though he was reported to have died from cardiac arrest there, there have been strong doubts about whether Cho really passed away as his death had not been verified so far.
Kang made the comment as he arrived at the district prosecutors' office in Daegu for questioning Wednesday. The extradition came after Korea asked China to arrest Kang, who faces more than 30 charges.
Along with his boss Cho, Kang allegedly defrauded the investors from 2004 to 2008, saying that their medical appliance rental and insurance business would guarantee a high return. After pooling about 4 trillion won from them, Kang fled to China in 2008 while Cho, who would be 58 if alive, fled there in 2010 amid an investigation. Prosecutors reopened their probe into the pair last year.
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