Police investigating the murder case of a 60-year-old woman found in a freezer at a cafe in Paju, South Korea, are expanding their inquiry to consider the possibility that the victim was killed in connection with a fraud case involving counterfeit gift certificates worth hundreds of millions of won.
According to reports from Yonhap News and police on September 8, the victim, identified as A, had never met the suspect, a man in his 30s named B. A was reportedly asked to visit the cafe to verify the authenticity of gift certificates that B had acquired through a third party.
Upon arriving at the cafe, A entered the freezer after B claimed the gift certificates were stored there. She did not emerge and was later found dead.
Authorities suspect that B may have locked A in the freezer after she realized the gift certificates were counterfeit.
Police are also investigating the involvement of other individuals, including a man who drove A from Seoul to Paju on the day of the incident, to determine if there were any accomplices.
The counterfeit gift certificates discovered in the freezer are estimated to have a face value of around 50 billion won.
Investigators are working to confirm the authenticity and distribution channels of the gift certificates while looking into the possibility of additional accomplices or masterminds behind the crime.
However, police noted that determining whether the gift certificates are indeed counterfeit requires legal review.
The freezer is a container-like structure measuring approximately 30 square meters and is located adjacent to the cafe operated by B.
Previously, on September 4, police discovered A's body in the freezer after she had been reported missing. B is currently in custody on charges of murder.
A police official stated, "While it is true that the investigation into accomplices is ongoing, we ask that speculation about unverified accomplice relationships be refrained from, as it may hinder the investigation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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