Repeat Offender Receives Prison Sentence for Identity Theft and Bank Fraud

PORTLAND, Ore. – On Wednesday, October 19, 2016, a South Korean native with previous federal convictions was sentenced to 39 months in prison for bank fraud, identity theft, and illegal reentry into the United States. Chae Sun Kim, 62, who pled guilty to the charges in March 2016, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones. 

According to court records, between April and May of 2015, Kim and an associate created a Republic of Korea passport using a fictitious name to open numerous bank accounts in the Portland metropolitan area. Using the false identities, Kim opened the accounts using his name and the name of his business, King Blackbox. Subsequent activity with these bank accounts by Kim and others resulted in a loss of more than $18,000 to at least six banks. When executing a search warrant at Kim’s Las Vegas residence, agents found equipment and paraphernalia capable of producing hundreds of fraudulent identifications as well as identification documents in other people’s names.

In 2002, Kim was convicted in the Western District of Washington for conspiracy to defraud the United States, Social Security number fraud, and visa fraud, and was sentenced to 63 months in prison. He was deported in 2007.

Judge Jones ordered Kim to pay $48,718.49 in restitution, including $30,000 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Judge Jones concluded the sentencing hearing by calling Kim a “crook” and telling him that he cannot return to the United States. Kim assured the court he would not return.

The case was investigated by DHS, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Helen Cooper, Special Assistant United States Attorney as part of a partnership venture between the SSA Office of the General Counsel, Seattle Region and the United States Attorney’s Office in Portland, Oregon.