## Brothers Face Tax evasion Charges in Alleged Golf Tee time Scheme
Two Southern California brothers have been arrested and charged with federal tax evasion stemming from a scheme to profit from reselling coveted golf tee times. Se Youn “Steve” Kim, 41, and Hee Youn “Ted” Kim, 41, pleaded not guilty following their arrest Thursday morning.
According to an indictment filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, the brothers operated a tee time brokering business from 2021 to 2023, acquiring thousands of reservation slots at golf courses nationwide, including at least 17 public courses in Southern California.They reportedly utilized platforms like KakaoTalk,a Korean instant messaging app,to connect with customers.Prosecutors allege the Kim brothers secured popular tee times – notably early morning slots – immediately upon their release to the public, effectively creating a monopoly on access to Southern california golf courses. This practice has been a source of frustration for local golfers, as previously reported by the *los Angeles Times*.
The brothers allegedly received nearly $700,000 in revenue from the tee time brokering business between 2021 and 2023, with customers paying reservation fees through applications like Venmo and Zelle. The indictment further claims the brothers failed to report a combined $1.1 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service for 2022 and 2023, and also neglected to pay assessed tax debts.
Instead of settling their tax obligations, the prosecution alleges the Kim brothers used the funds for luxury purchases at high-end retailers including Chanel, Cartier, Prada, and Louis Vuitton.
In a previous interview with the *Los Angeles Times* last year, Ted Kim maintained his innocence, stating he was simply booking tee times for himself and did not employ bots or engage in illegal activity.He also claimed to be assisting elderly Korean golfers who struggle with the online reservation system, stating, “I’m just helping Korean seniors…because they have a right to play golf.”
Joseph Lee, a critic of tee time brokers who assisted in the investigation, expressed relief at the charges. “it’s justice,” he said. ”Authorities have finally recognized the seriousness of the issue.”
Attorneys for Ted Kim and Steve Kim have not yet issued comprehensive responses.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more details becomes available.
