Home / Crime and Justice / Golf Tee Hustlers Admit $1.3M Tax Fraud
Golf Tee Hustlers Admit $1.3M Tax Fraud
30 Sep
Summary
- Brothers pleaded guilty to failing to report $1.3 million in income.
- They allegedly resold thousands of golf tee times for profit.
- Sentencing hearings are scheduled for January 2027.
Twin brothers Se Youn "Steve" Kim and Hee Youn "Ted" Kim have admitted to intentionally failing to report more than $1.3 million in income generated from their golf tee-time brokering business. The brothers operated this side hustle, reserving thousands of tee times at golf courses across Los Angeles and Orange counties and reselling them for a profit.
Prosecutors stated that reservation fees were deposited into their personal accounts, bypassing their established business entity and its bank account. For the tax years 2021 through 2023, Steve Kim reportedly earned approximately $810,919, while Ted Kim earned about $496,998 in 2022 and 2023.
Both men also worked as MRI technicians, during which they falsely claimed exemption from federal income tax withholdings. Steve Kim admitted to omitting over $27,510 in tee-time income for 2021, along with other financial gains. He evaded $155,021 in taxes for 2022-2023, and Ted Kim evaded $97,354 for the same period.
Steve Kim also owes approximately $221,004 in back taxes, interest, and penalties from 2012 through 2021. Their sentencing hearings are set for January 2027, with potential prison sentences of up to three years for Steve and five years for Ted.
In response to such practices, Los Angeles County implemented non-refundable reservation deposits for public courses in 2024. Earlier that year, a lawsuit was filed against the city of Los Angeles regarding insufficient action against black-market tee times.
