A South Korean gambling ring was caught swindling billions of won from rich businessmen and doctors, the police reported on Monday.

The ring members used a range of sophisticated tricks and well-calculated strategies that seem to be modeled after famous crime movies.

 “The criminals displayed surprising teamwork and used fancy gadgets that are featured in movies such as special lenses to produce tampered cards. They are also suspected of inserting illegal drugs into victims’ drinks,” an official from Songpa Police Station said.

The tricksters used upscale fitness centers to mingle with unsuspecting rich businessmen and doctors. Once they got to know the targets, the members entertained the victims with golf games and set up meetings with beautiful women whom they recruited to lower their guard. Afterward, they proposed a betting game only to lose intentionally at first, which was bait to lure them to the make-or-break gambling round.

Using the same method 13 times, the gambling ring reportedly raked in 5.7 billion won ($530,000).

By Yoon Ha-youn, Intern reporter
(yhayoun@heraldcorp.com)