Maserati Hit-and-Run Driver Linked to Illegal Gambling Operation

A driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident in Gwangju while operating a Maserati has been identified as the operator of an illegal gambling site worth approximately 870 billion KRW. On June 19, the Gwangju Cyber Crime Investigation Unit announced that they have charged a 32-year-old man, identified only as Kim, with operating gambling spaces among other offenses.

The police have also arrested 60 accomplices, including nine who are currently in custody, and have charged 441 users of the gambling site. According to the investigation, Kim allegedly ran four gambling sites based overseas from 2022 until September of last year.

On September 24, 2022, Kim was involved in a collision in the western district of Gwangju, where he struck a motorcycle carrying a young couple, resulting in the death of the female passenger and serious injuries to the male rider. The couple was returning home after completing a late-night delivery job, and the vehicle used in the incident was later revealed to be a stolen car, sparking public outrage.

Kim attempted to flee the country by booking two flights but abandoned his plans, believing he would be prohibited from leaving. He was apprehended on the road in Gangnam, Seoul, just two days after the incident.

There are suspicions that Kim, who had spent an extended period abroad, may have been involved in other criminal activities such as voice phishing and illegal money laundering following the accident. The police are continuing their investigation into his gambling operations and plan to collaborate with Interpol to apprehend additional accomplices located overseas. Recently, Kim was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison for the hit-and-run charge under the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Crimes.