Los Angeles-Based Diaper Importer Is Deported to South Korea for Possible Embezzlement

by Czarelli Tuason / Sep 06, 2015 11:32 PM EDT

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A diaper importer from South Korea was placed in the hands of his country's law enforcers by Los Angeles officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) on Wednesday, after being suspected of embezzlement that involved soliciting millions of dollars from investors.

The 50-year-old alleged offender, identified as Kyuseop Maeng, was flown from Los Angeles to South Korea via a commercial aircraft accompanied by ICE ERO officers.

Patch reported on Wednesday that a criminal warrant was issued in January 2011 with charges of fraud for Maeng by the authorities from South Korea. The warrant specified the entrepreneur engaged in embezzlement for a period of one month starting November of 2010, amounting to $3.5 million from his trading company's investors before moving to the U.S.

Daily News stated in an article published on Wednesday, Maeng was able to enter the U.S. with a visitor's permit in December 2010 and acquired a foreign student visa.

On June 11, the embezzlement offender was found at a residence in Hacienda Heights by ERO officers with the help of authorities from South Korea. ICE then subjected Maeng to deportation proceedings where he was ordered to be deported to his country by an immigration judge.

"This case serves as a reminder to foreign fugitives who mistakenly believe they can elude justice by fleeing to the U.S.," said field office director for ERO Los Angeles David Jennings. "ICE will continue to work closely with its foreign law enforcement counterparts to ensure that those charged with serious crimes are held accountable for their actions."

ERO has deported around 1,150 foreign fugitives since October 2009 for crimes like rape, kidnaping and murder. ERO works hand-in-hand with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, Interpol and U.S. foreign consular offices to capture foreign fugitives who are illegally residing in the U.S.