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A Vancouver man who left town after being charged with securities crimes has been sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Won Sang Shen (Craig) Cho, also known as Jae Kim, pleaded guilty last week to eight charges for violations in 2017 and 2018. He also pleaded guilty for failing to attend a trial and violating bail conditions, according to a news release from the B.C. Securities Commission.

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In 2017, Cho was hit with five charges for violating the Securities Act by soliciting $270,000 from five investors for online gambling and sports betting businesses.

While awaiting a trial last fall on those charges, Cho was found to have been trading securities of Plus Sports Media Ltd. with an investor. He was then handed three more charges for breaching a 2013 administrative order, trading without registration and making misrepresentations.

Cho also failed to report to his bail officer and was a no-show at his October court date in Vancouver. The following month, police arrested Cho in Toronto and he was sent back to Vancouver. He has remained in custody since.

On Wednesday, the BCSC said Cho had been sentenced to 15 months in jail. Cho will receive credit for time already spent behind bars; he has nine months remaining on his sentence. Following his release, he will also serve 18 months of probation.

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