Daekun Cho Arrested For Extorting Protection Money

March 16, 2023 ·

Extorting Protection Money
Copyright Free - Stock Free images. Public Domain image dedication. CC0 1.0 Universal Licence - http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

WOODLAND HILLS—On Thursday, March 16, authorities arrested Daekun Cho, 38, of Woodland Hills at his residence for allegedly extorting “protection” money from Koreatown businesses. According to the District Attorney, in some cases, Cho would use violence against those who refused to pay. 

This federal investigation began about a year ago and investigators discovered that Cho was demanding protection money from karaoke businesses in Koreatown, as well as from “doumi” – or hostesses – employed by patrons of the karaoke establishments.

“To further his extortion scheme, Cho committed shootings, a carjacking, a kidnapping, and other acts of physical violence,” according to the complaint affidavit. “Cho made explicit threatening statements to the doumi drivers and karaoke bar owners to get them to pay a monthly fee.”

Back in 2022, Cho demanded that a doumi driver at a karaoke bar leave the location and, as the driver and two doumis were driving away, they heard gunshots and one of the doumis suffered a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the affidavit. That incident remains under investigation by the LAPD.

In another incident with a doumi driver who refused to pay the protection money after a price increase, was subject to a baseball bat beating, allegedly by Cho and another individual, on May 8, 2021. That doumi driver suffered a broken arm and multiple lacerations according to the affidavit. 

One victim, who had been paying Cho for about four years, claims that he had decided to stop paying Cho before he allegedly assaulted him and stole approximately $1,000 from him on January 24. The affidavit details how that victim, working with law enforcement, made an extortionate $500 payment to Cho on February 16.

Cho was arrested by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department pursuant to a federal criminal complaint filed last week. Both those agencies are working on this case. The complaint charges Cho with interference with commerce by threats or violence which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He is expected to make his initial appearance Friday, March 17, in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

By Christianne

Next Post

Westwood Man Struck And Killed By Semi Driver

WESTWOOD—On March 19, at approximately 12:05 p.m., a wreck on Highway 99 and Oswald Road claimed the life of Steven Tadeo, 30, of Westwood.Reports indicate that Tadeo was traveling northbound on the highway at approximately 65 mph in his Toyota…
Read
Previous Post

American General To Layoff 163 In Woodland Hills

WOODLAND HILLS—On March 8, new reports were released that 500 individuals throughout Southern California are facing layoffs including workers in Woodland Hills.  According to a report by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN),  the American General Life Insurance…
Read
Random Post

Employee Shot During Santa Monica College Shooting Dies

SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, October 16, the employee who was shot during a shooting at Santa Monica College has died, Lt. Erika Aklufi with the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed to Canyon News. Santa Monica College (SMC) Custodial Operations Manager Felicia…
Read
Random Post

Speeding Motorist Arrested By LASD

MALIBU—On Tuesday, September 24, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that Sgt. Chris Soderlund of the LASD Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff's Station Liaison to Malibu gave a crime and safety update to the Malibu City Council on September…
Read
Random Post

Anthony Pittman Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison

SANTA MONICA—On Thursday, March 28, 2024, the Santa Monica Police Department announced that in February 2024, Anthony Pittman, who is currently homeless, pled no contest to a series of sexual assaults he committed between August and September 2022. The SMPD…
Read
Random Post

One Dead Following Attempted Robbery At 7-11 In WEHO

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Saturday, July 20, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department received a call of an armed robbery in process in the 1100 block of Gardner Street near the 7-11 located at 7950 Santa Monica Boulevard in WEHO.Reports indicate that at approximately…
Read