Romance scam crimes examined through legal statements

This study analyzes 73 South Korean first-instance judgments involving convicted romance-scam defendants. It codes offender nationality and visa status, impersonated identities, crime scenarios, losses, and sentences. Many defendants were linked to international crime organizations and had entered South Korea on refugee or short-term visas or lacked documented status, although judgments often obscured nationality and age. Offenders posed as U.S. or U.K. soldiers, doctors, and other professionals, using both male and female identities. Reported losses reached KRW 1.38 billion and averaged about KRW 100 million. Most defendants received prison terms, up to eight years, while fewer than 10% received suspended sentences. The judgment data make this an exploratory account rather than a complete profile of offenders.