BELIZE CITY, Fri. Feb. 5, 2016–A Korean businesswoman with investments worth millions of dollars in New York City and Belize, and who was charged for perversion of justice along with Bradley Paumen and others, was released on $75,000 bail, and had to sign over property documents to the court after Supreme Court Justice, John “Troadio” Gonzalez, made the order this morning.
The Crown’s primary objection to the granting of bail to Hyang Chong Park was that she is a flight risk, Crown Counsel Kilreu argued in the prosecution’s objection to bail.
Present in the court for the hearing were members of Park’s family and the non-resident Korean Ambassador to Belize, who is based in El Salvador.
Justice Gonzalez expressed in open court the difficult position the court faces when it grants bail to foreign nationals who flee the jurisdiction of the court, “which can only do so much,” given, that bail, after all, is a person’s right.
Justice Gonzalez decided to grant Park a signed bail of $70,000 plus one surety in the same amount. In addition, Park was ordered to sign over property documents to the court. As part of her bail condition, the court ordered her to report to the Belmopan police station every other Friday, and to attend all adjournments of her case. She is also not to interfere with any prosecution witness.
Last Thursday, February 4, Park, who resides in New York, where she owns a spa, was charged in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court for her alleged role to plant a firearm and ammunition in the vehicle of her ex-husband, Michael Modiri.
Police also charged businessman Bradley Paumen; one of Modiri’s employees, Lisburn Anderson; and Belmopan businessman Jahan Abadi, with conspiracy to pervert justice and perversion of the course of justice. All those charged with the two latest charges have been released from prison on Supreme Court bail. Park is the final accused person to regain her freedom after being on remand since she was arraigned on the charge last Thursday.
The incident for which Park was charged allegedly occurred last February, and resulted in additional charges being levied against the American investor Bradley Paumen, who, along with three others, is also facing a conspiracy to commit murder charge.
According to police, Park played a role in the conspiracy against her ex-husband, Michael Modiri.
Park, who is a resident of New York, was granted bail under stricter court guidelines than her other co-defendants.
After the hearing, her attorney Dickie Bradley told reporters, “David Nanes has made it very difficult for persons who don’t live in this country to get bail. As the judge has also said, even in the United States of America, persons flee the jurisdiction. The court can only do so much.”