Man Sentenced for Extortion of Karaoke Bars in LA

A 39-year-old man from Woodland Hills, Daekun Cho, was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison on August 16 for extorting karaoke bar owners and drivers in Koreatown. U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rochato also ordered Cho to pay $240,167 in restitution and a special assessment of $5,700. Cho was convicted in March on 55 federal counts of interference with commerce by extortion, along with attempted interference and carjacking. Evidence presented during a five-day trial revealed that Cho had been demanding "protection fees" from karaoke businesses and drivers of hostesses, known as "doumis," from 2018 until March 2023. Payments ranged from $100 to $1,000 monthly, and Cho often resorted to violence against those who refused to comply. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described Cho as a "racketeer" who terrorized the Koreatown community. Incidents of violence included a May 2021 attack where Cho and an accomplice beat a doumi driver with baseball bats, leaving the victim unconscious and with serious injuries. In another case from July 2022, Cho threatened a driver while attempting to assert control over the drop-off of hostesses. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cho began accepting extortion payments electronically, further facilitating his criminal activities. Authorities uncovered Cho's extensive criminal operations, which included possession of an illegal knife, two metal baseball bats, and over $20,000 in cash, highlighting the severity of his actions against the local community.