Police and legal experts have warned South Korean web developers. They could face jail time if they build casino sites for illegal operators.
Gyeongsang Ilbo, a South Korean media outlet, reported the warning. It came after the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Mobile Criminal Investigation Unit dismantled the Jinseongpa crime group.
Police say that a group of school friends founded the notorious violent group in 1983. Its core members were all born in the 1980s.
Police think the group recruited new members from high schools in Southwest Seoul with promises of money-making opportunities.
Authorities accuse the group of running a network of gambling websites and investment-related fraud rings.
According to the police, a branch of the gang, comprising numerous senior executive members, operated the gambling website arm of the group.
These executives then reportedly commissioned IT and design work from freelances and small companies.
However, police and lawyers warned that web design professionals risk jail time, as well as hefty fines if they work from groups such as Jinseongpa.
Kim Seong-wook, a lawyer at Hwimyung Law Firm, issued a warning. He said that inexperienced individuals, especially those just starting out, can unknowingly become involved in organized crime.
He added that in past years, online gambling-related crime has become more organized and larger in scale.
This results in higher losses for victims. He warned that these criminal gangs often engage in violent attacks, resulting in higher legal penalties.
In turn, that can lead to heavier sentencing for anyone acting as an accomplice to these groups.
Police have stated that creating an online gambling site is a crime under existing laws. This applies even if the site does not generate a profit.
The Supreme Court has ruled that the matter of whether an illegal gambling site creates a profit is irrelevant.
