News Summary
Frank Seung Noah, a customs broker from California, has pleaded guilty to serious charges including wire fraud and tax evasion totaling over $5 million. His fraudulent activities involved submitting false customs documents and evading more than $2.4 million in federal taxes. Noah now faces possible prison time as he awaits sentencing on May 8. This scandal raises concerns about trust in business practices and highlights the potential consequences of financial deception.
Frank Seung Noah: Customs Broker and Unwittingly a Criminal
In the sun-kissed city of Corona, Southern California, a 64-year-old man named Frank Seung Noah has found himself embroiled in a scandal that can only be described as jaw-dropping. On February 7, 2025, he pleaded guilty to some serious charges involving a whopping $5 million fraud and more than $2.4 million in tax evasion. It’s a story that has shocked the local community and raised eyebrows across the nation.
From Customs Broker to Criminal
Noah wore many hats in his professional life. As a customs broker, he helped businesses navigate the often-complicated waters of importing goods into the United States from abroad. He owned a logistics and supply-chain company called Comis International Inc. based in Cerritos, which catered to various clients, including the well-known Japanese discount chain, Daiso. But beneath the surface of this seemingly reputable business, a grim reality was unfolding.
During the years from 2007 to 2019, Noah was responsible for handling customs import for Daiso. Unfortunately, instead of being transparent and trustworthy, he provided them with false customs duty forms and fabricated invoices to demand reimbursement for duty fees he had no right to collect. To put it in perspective, Daiso overpaid him by nearly $3.4 million due to these deceitful documents! That’s a boatload of cash that could have gone to legitimate operations.
The Fraud Escalates
The plot thickened in 2022 when a grand jury indicted Noah for his shady dealings with Daiso. But just when you thought he might be turning over a new leaf, he continued to scheme against other clients, pulling in over $2 million through a completely different method. This time around, he was pocketing money intended for customs fees from two client companies instead of actually paying those fees. To maintain this charade, he sent out false bank statements that falsely indicated he had fulfilled his obligations.
However, the truth has a way of surfacing. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) eventually alerted the affected companies about the unpaid customs fees, leading to a cascade of alarming discoveries.
A Tax Evasion Mastermind?
If defrauding clients wasn’t enough, Noah took it a step further with his tax evasion activities. The IRS indicated that he managed to dodge paying more than $2.4 million in federal taxes, which accumulated staggering penalties and interest. Back in 2014, he had agreed with the IRS about a tax liability surpassing $1 million but seemed to have a knack for avoiding their collection attempts.
His methods of deception included purchasing two homes in his ex-girlfriend’s name and using check-cashing businesses to sidestep IRS levies. Even more shocking is the fact that he lied to IRS collection agents and squandered large amounts of money on luxury items like country club memberships and extravagant travel plans. It’s hard to imagine that someone in a respected position would go to such lengths to avoid their responsibilities.
A Plea and Possible Sentencing
This eye-opening case was brought to light through an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the CBP. For Noah, his life as a customs broker has come crashing down due to choices that many would deem unthinkable.
As the community watches and waits for the sentencing, it raises questions about trust in business relationships and the lengths to which some individuals will go to deceive. Stay tuned as this story continues to unfold!
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
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