A federal grand jury has indicted twin brothers in Southern California on charges of tax evasion tied to more than $1.1 million in unreported income, much of it linked to a tee time brokering scheme.
Se Youn Kim and his identical twin, Hee Youn Kim, both 41, were arrested by federal authorities and entered not guilty pleas. From 2021 to 2023, the brothers allegedly ran a business that reserved thousands of golf course slots across the U.S., including at least 17 public courses in Southern California.
Investigators say the brothers used platforms such as KakaoTalk to reach customers and rapidly secured in-demand early morning tee times, making it difficult for regular golfers to book spots. Customers paid reservation fees through apps like Venmo and Zelle, with the business generating nearly $700,000 over two years.
Federal prosecutors allege the brothers failed to report a combined $1.1 million in income to the IRS for 2022 and 2023. Instead of paying off mounting tax debts, they are accused of spending heavily on luxury items from brands including Chanel, Cartier, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
The brothers, who also worked as MRI technicians, are additionally accused of failing to pay previously assessed federal taxes.
The issue of tee time brokering has drawn widespread frustration among Los Angeles golfers, who have complained that the practice made public courses nearly impossible to access.
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