Joohoon David Lee, Bribery, California 2023

Bribery Scheme Rocks ICE: Ex-Agent Joohoon David Lee Pleads Guilty

LOS ANGELES, CA – A former special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has pleaded guilty to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from a man accused of human trafficking.

Joohoon David Lee, 43, who currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery before United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald on March 23, 2023.

According to a plea agreement filed in this case, Lee, who was assigned to HSI’s Human Trafficking unit in Los Angeles, interviewed a woman in March 2012 who claimed that she was entering the United States to be a slave for a Korean businessman named H.S.

About a year later, Lee met with an attorney representing H.S. and told the lawyer that Lee could fly to Korea, interview H.S. and submit a favorable report – if H.S. would finance the trip. H.S. agreed, and Lee accepted $3,000 in cash.

Approximately 10 days after receiving the money, Lee travelled to Seoul, where H.S. paid for Lee’s hotel and entertainment expenses. While in Korea, Lee asked for “a large sum of money, “according to the plea agreement, in which Lee admits accepting between $6,000 and $7,000.”

Upon returning to the United States, Lee prepared a report related to the investigation of H.S. that read: “Subject was suspected of human trafficking. No evidence found and victim statement contradicts. Case closed. No further action required.”

Lee is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Fitzgerald on May 23, at which time he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

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