A side business that turned into a federal case
Two identical twin brothers who made money from Southern California’s demand for tee times now face federal prison. Se Youn “Steve” Kim of Buena Park and Hee Youn “Ted” Kim of Pomona, both 42, have pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion. The charges stem from a tee-time brokering operation they ran on the side while working as MRI technicians.
From 2021 to 2023, the brothers booked thousands of tee times across 17 Southern California courses. They focused on the most sought-after early-morning slots, often grabbing them within seconds of their release to the public. They then resold the times on secondary platforms and through KakaoTalk messaging groups, charging a $30 to $50 markup on top of green fees. Buyers paid by Venmo, Zelle or bank transfer.
The courses affected include Balboa, Harding, Hansen Dam, Rancho, Wilson and Griffith Park in the Los Angeles area, Torrey Pines near San Diego, and San Clemente Municipal. Authorities said the practice made it “more difficult and more expensive for members of the public to reserve tee times.”
More than $1.3 million in unreported income
Together, the brothers failed to report more than $1.3 million in income. An estimated $700,000 to $1.1 million of that came directly from reselling tee times. Steve Kim did not report about $810,919 between 2021 and 2023 and evaded about $155,021 in taxes for 2022 and 2023. He also owed the IRS about $221,004 for the years 2012 to 2021. Ted Kim did not report about $496,998 in 2022 and 2023 and evaded about $97,354 in taxes.
The brothers falsely claimed tax-exempt status and first deposited business fees into personal accounts. Investigators said Steve Kim spent the money on Chanel and Louis Vuitton goods. Ted Kim bought a timeshare in Hawaii, luxury vehicles, and items from Cartier and Prada.
A federal grand jury indicted the twins on 10 counts in September 2025. Steve Kim faces up to three years in federal prison and Ted Kim up to five. Sentencing is set for January 12, 2027.
How the network was exposed
The case drew wider attention in September 2024. Golf content creator Dave Fink exposed the broker network on social media after making undercover inquiries at Griffith Park, and he started the “#FreeTheTee” movement. An estimated 10 or more Korean-speaking brokers were reportedly working across Southern California, running more than 10 KakaoTalk chat rooms.
The LA Department of Recreation and Parks opened an investigation, and the LA City Attorney’s office then worked with the official booking platform GolfNow. The FBI investigation led to the federal indictment. In March 2025, five plaintiffs filed a class-action lawsuit in LA Superior Court. Most of them are Korean American golfers, and they include Joseph Lee, president of SoCal Dream Golf Club. The suit claims city officials failed to stop the black market and asks for full refunds of Player Card purchases.
Cities and the state respond
In May 2023, Los Angeles introduced a $10 nonrefundable deposit on reservations, which cut cancellations by 95 percent. The city also limited Player Cards to LA residents and began monitoring for bookings made by bots. In April 2026, San Clemente approved an ordinance against commercial resale and automated booking. It includes a $10 deposit per player and proposed fines of $250 to $500 per violation.
On September 27, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1954, known as the PAR Act (Protecting Access to Reservations). The law covers more than 220 publicly owned golf courses in California. Third-party platforms and brokers may no longer list, advertise, promote, sell or transfer tee times at these courses without written permission. Individual golfers can still pass on a reservation under certain conditions, as long as they charge no more than they paid. Violations fall under the state’s Unfair Competition Law and carry civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation per course. Public prosecutors or course operators can enforce the law.