Sung Sub Kim was found bound, shirtless and with a bag over his head just 200 metres from his home in Strathfield early on Wednesday morning.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 47-year-old man had allegedly conspired with his 21-year-old son, Gyu Tae Kim, to stage his kidnapping in order to scam $200,000 in ransom money from members of the community.
The pair appeared via videolink at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday afternoon, charged with publishing false or misleading material to obtain an advantage and false representation resulting in a police investigation.
Sung Sub was formally refused bail while Gyu Tae walked free on strict conditions that included making absolute zero contact with his father, daily reports to Auburn Police Station and the surrender of his passport.
It was revealed in court that Sung Sub was already on bail for unrelated robbery charges since May last year.
Magistrate Christopher McRobert said "the prosecution case is nothing other than strong."
According to court documents, Gyu Tae and other members of the family allegedly received text messages from Sung Sub's mobile on Tuesday demanding the ransom, including pictures of a man tied in the back seat of a car believed to be him.
He was allegedly seen on CCTV footage staying in a motel in Chullora that afternoon at a time he said that he had been kidnapped.
Police were later called to Dean Street in Strathfield after Sung Sub was found injured lying on the road just after midnight the following day. He was taken to Concord Hospital to be treated.
He will appear again next Wednesday in Burwood Local Court.
