Koreatown Extortionist Sentenced to 22 Years for Violent Crimes

A Los Angeles man, Daekun Cho, 39, has been sentenced to 22 and a half years in federal prison for his involvement in a violent extortion scheme that targeted businesses in Koreatown.

Cho, a resident of Woodland Hills, was found guilty of using threats and violence to extort money from karaoke establishments and doumi (karaoke hostess) drivers in the area. In addition to his prison sentence, Cho has been ordered to pay $240,167 in restitution and a special assessment of $5,700.

Years of Terror and Violence

“For years, this defendant terrorized merchants in Koreatown with his violent, shake-down schemes and intimidated victims into remaining silent,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.

Cho’s criminal activities included physically attacking those who refused to pay his so-called “protection fees.” In one particularly brutal incident, Cho beat a victim with a baseball bat until the man lost consciousness, then stole his vehicle. The victim suffered a fractured arm during the assault.

Authorities revealed that Cho extorted sums ranging from $100 to $1,000 from his victims, demanding payment either in cash or through Venmo. He often accompanied these demands with menacing messages, warning victims that they would “see the real demon” or “face the consequence” if they did not comply. Cho even threatened to “kick [them] out of Ktown” if they refused to pay.

Defense Claims and Trial

During his trial, which lasted five days, Cho’s defense argued that he was merely trying to “bring order to the jungle” by protecting established businesses from new competitors. However, the prosecution painted a far different picture, depicting Cho as a ruthless criminal who used fear and violence to extort money from hard-working business owners.

The extent of Cho’s criminal behavior was laid bare during the trial. In May 2021, he assaulted a doumi driver who had refused to pay, beating him unconscious with a baseball bat and stealing his minivan.

A year later, in July 2022, Cho fired shots at another doumi driver who had not followed his rules, injuring one person. In January 2023, Cho attacked a man who had stopped paying him during the COVID-19 pandemic, stealing $1,000 and threatening to kill him.

A Raid Uncovers More Weapons

Cho’s criminal activities finally came to an end in March 2023 when police arrested him. During the arrest, law enforcement officers discovered a stash of weapons in his possession, including a 9mm firearm, a Glock 17, a partially built ghost gun, multiple loaded high-capacity magazines, ammunition, an illegal knife, two metal baseball bats, and over $20,000 in cash.

Federal Prosecution and Sentencing

Cho was ultimately found guilty of 55 counts of interference with commerce by extortion, one count of attempted interference with commerce by extortion, and one count of carjacking. The harsh sentence handed down reflects the severity of his crimes and the impact they had on the victims and the broader community.

United States Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the importance of the case in protecting the community from similar crimes. “Extortionists who seek to profit through violence are on notice that we will use federal tools to hold them accountable, and the consequences will be severe,” Estrada said.

Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang echoed these sentiments, highlighting the collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities in bringing Cho to justice. “Our commitment to reducing violent crime in our cities is reflected yet again with the result of this sentencing,” Wang stated.