The Chief Executive Officer of Haru Invest, Hugo Hyungsoo Lee has been stabbed in the neck numerous times during a court session in Seoul. According to local reports, the CEO was immediately rushed to the hospital from the courtroom after the attack.Â
As revealed, Lee is part of the three executives of the firm standing trial for mismanaging $826 million worth of cryptocurrencies from about 16,000 users. Furthermore, the attacker, identified to be one of the victims of Haru Invest rushed towards Lee from the guest seat and stabbed the CEO with a small knife.
Side Note On The Haru Invest Fraud Case
Recall that on June 13, 2023, Haru Invest halted withdrawal all of a sudden without prior notice. Similarly, Delio, another management firm holding some assets belonging to the investment platform, also suspended withdrawals the following day.
The sudden suspension of withdrawal triggered a huge uproar among investors which attracted the attention of South Korean prosecutors. Consequently, prosecutors from the country charged three top executives from the firm, alleging that they stole about $826 million worth of users’ deposits.
As part of the proceedings, prosecutors opened an investigation into how Lee suspended deposits and withdrawals from the platform. Thereafter, in February 2024, local prosecutors arrested Lee alongside two other executives in February 2024.
While providing details on the investigation, local authorities revealed that executives of the firm, including the CEO mismanaged most of the funds deposited on the platform. Also, reports indicated that between March 2020 to June 2023, executives of Haru Invest diverted customers’ deposits.
Prosecutors stated that the firm swayed investors by presenting the investment platform as a stable business through fake promises. Following his arrest, Lee regained his freedom last month in preparation for the trial.
Surge In Physical Attacks Within The Crypto Sector
Meanwhile, in recent months, the crypto landscape has witnessed a surge in physical attacks on market participants. Early this month, a gang of four Chinese men forced their way into an estate in Pathum Thani, Thailand, and compelled their victim to transfer about $2 million worth of crypto.
Also, in July, four armed men abducted a foreigner in Kyiv, forcing him to transfer 3 BTC to their wallets. Despite that, the attacker went on to strangle the man.
The fresh attack on Hugo Hyungsoo Lee highlights the emerging concern about violence connected with high-profile financial fraud cases in the crypto landscape.
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