CEO Of Crypto Firm Haru Invest Stabbed During Fraud Trial In Seoul Court
Hugo Hyungsoo Lee, the CEO of South Korean cryptocurrency deposit service Haru Invest, was stabbed in the neck during his fraud trial at the Seoul Southern District Court on Wednesday, police reported on Thursday.
The attack occurred while Lee was in court, when a man in his 50s, attending the trial, suddenly assaulted him. According to the Seoul Yangcheon Police Station, Lee was immediately taken to a hospital, where his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening. The assailant was swiftly arrested, and authorities are currently investigating his motives.
Lee is on trial following his indictment in February 2024 on charges of fraud related to the suspension of cryptocurrency withdrawals by Haru Invest. The firm halted withdrawals amounting to approximately 1.4 trillion won (€0.98 billion) in customer deposits made between March 2020 and June 2023.
Haru Invest had paused all transactions, citing issues with service partners, and subsequently laid off about 100 employees in June 2023. The abrupt suspension raised suspicions that Lee and other executives had embezzled customer funds while falsely assuring investors of the safety and profitability of their investments.
In February, three Haru Invest executives were arrested on allegations of stealing 1.1 trillion won ($828 million) in cryptocurrency from around 16,000 customers, as reported by local news outlets.
This case has intensified scrutiny of the cryptocurrency market in South Korea, leading regulatory authorities to enhance oversight and prevent future incidents of this nature.
