A South Korean national accused of masterminding a massive investment scam in Seoul has been arrested in Pasig City, immigration authorities said Saturday.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the suspect as 45-year-old Jun Hwanhwi, who was apprehended on 18 February along Sapphire Street in Ortigas Center by BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) agents.
The arrest was carried out on the strength of a 2021 warrant of deportation issued after Hwanhwi was declared an undesirable alien for posing a risk to public safety and security.
The suspect had been the subject of an Interpol Red Notice following an arrest warrant from the Gwangju District Court in South Korea.
The BI said the operation was conducted in coordination with South Korean authorities, the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group’s Cyber Patrolling and Intelligence Unit, the Eastern Police District’s District Intelligence Division, and other government intelligence units.
Based on reports from the South Korean government, Hwanhwi allegedly orchestrated a large-scale investment fraud scheme in 2018 that left a victim reeling from losses exceeding ₩900 million.
Investigators said he initially convinced the victim to invest approximately ₩500 million in bond transactions. He later allegedly persuaded the same individual to co-purchase stocks, extracting an additional ₩200 million.
In the months that followed, Hwanhwi reportedly solicited another ₩268 million in installments, claiming the funds were urgently needed for a sibling’s medical treatment — a claim authorities now believe was fabricated.
Viado said the case reflects “a deliberate pattern of deception” involving substantial financial damage.
“Foreign nationals who engage in large-scale financial fraud and attempt to evade accountability by hiding in the Philippines will be located, arrested, and deported,” Viado warned.
Hwanhwi has been transferred to the BI’s Warden Facility, where he will remain pending deportation proceedings.
Immigration officials said the arrest underscores the Philippines’ commitment to strengthening international law enforcement cooperation and ensuring the country does not become a safe haven for foreign fugitives.