South Korean Prosecutors Seized BTC and Confiscated Multiple Things from Crypto Scammer
South Korean prosecutors have seized over $9.3 million worth of Bitcoin from a convicted crypto scam operator who targeted elderly citizens and North Korean defectors.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office confirmed the recovery on 26 November, following the man's conviction for running a multi-level marketing-style crypto fraud scheme.
Despite his conviction and a 10-year prison sentence, the scammer reportedly refused to pay any of the imposed fines, even though many victims lost their life savings.
In court, he expressed no remorse, stating he "did not regret" his actions, as it allowed his family to live well.
The man’s former wife and children continued to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, living in a luxury apartment worth billions of won and spending the proceeds from the scam on private tutoring, designer goods, and preparing for immigration to Canada.
Source: Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Crime Proceeds Recovery Division
Prosecutors seized an array of assets linked to the fraud, including fine art, luxury watches, cars, and even real estate holdings like a penthouse and commercial properties.
Additionally, they uncovered efforts to conceal assets, such as a Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, and crypto holdings, by registering them under other names.
These seizures shed light on the broader scope of the fraudster's operations, as well as the challenges of tracking and recovering proceeds from complex financial crimes.
SCAMMER‼️
User @haneul1098249
There's a new scheme that scammers are using these days,This person pretended to buy something. It's so sketchy because they want us to send our kr bank deets and email, which is unusual, so we asked if they could send it via wise instead+ pic.twitter.com/9pX0nssBlG
— SGPH FINDS⁷🔍|보라엘아 SUPPLIES🇰🇷🇵🇭PASABUYS (@SeoulGayoPH) November 20, 2024
Authorities Seized Luxury Items and More
The individual is also said to have established a fictitious corporation to obscure the ownership of his ill-gotten assets.
During a raid on his residence, bailiffs uncovered a trove of luxury items, including valuable artworks, high-end watches, precious metals, and designer bags, all carefully concealed within the property.
Source: Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Crime Proceeds Recovery Division
This discovery highlights the lengths to which the fraudster went to disguise the proceeds of his crime, raising further questions about the effectiveness of asset concealment strategies in complex financial fraud cases.
Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office reinforced:
“Recovering criminal proceeds is the ultimate realization of justice and the first step in preventing crime. We will endeavor to recover them completely so that criminals cannot make a single penny from their crimes.”
