Simone WilsonA warrant has been out for the arrest of Torrance real-estate agent Jong Hwan Huh since late April, when the L.A. County District Attorney's office filed 17 felony counts against him — including grand theft, forgery, issuing bad checks and “enhancements for aggravated white collar crime.”
According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, Huh collected $404,000 from seven victims throughout the South Bay while working at Masters Realty Group in Los Angeles, promising to put it toward real-estate leases and purchases.
But Huh, 47, had more glamorous investments in mind:
The suspect, whose Americanized name is David Huh, “frequented local casinos and used the victims' money to gamble,” reports the sheriff.
The suspect's not-so-conspicuous hideout.; Credit: southendclub.com
And guess where sheriff's deputies found him, over two months after the charges were filed?
Basically, this was the Korean-American sequel to “Catch Me If You Can.”
Huh was arrested on July 5 at the expensive South End Racquet and Health Club, a private and picturesque gym located near the Torrance Airport.
From the club's website:
“Located at the base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, our private club offers a resort atmosphere. With over seven acres of beautifully manicured grounds, tennis, paddle tennis, racquetball and state-of-the-art fitness center, these all create the perfect setting for your total club experience.”
Not exactly the No. 1 place you'd expect a most-wanted man to show his mug after allegedly swindling his clientele out of half a million dollars. But then again, high-end habits die hard.
We've been trying to contact the South Bay offices of Masters Realty Group all afternoon, but all we're getting is a busy signal. (Probably the right day to leave the phone off the hook.)
The office appears to be located at 23505 Crenshaw Boulevard, in a nice part of Torrance:
Did you ever meet this supposed real-estate agent, or have any problems with his company? Please let us know.
[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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