Key Takeaways:
- Haru Invest CEO, Hugo Hyungsoo Lee, was stabbed during a courtroom trial over a fraud case involving $826 million in misappropriated digital assets.
- The attack reflects a growing trend of violence linked to cryptocurrency crimes, as victims seek retribution against perceived wrongdoers.
- Haru Invest’s suspension of withdrawals in June 2023 triggered panic among its 16,000 investors, setting the stage for the recent courtroom violence.
In a shocking incident in Seoul, South Korea, Hugo Hyungsoo Lee, CEO of Haru Invest, was stabbed multiple times during a courtroom trial related to a massive fraud case.
The attacker, a victim of Haru Invest’s collapse, targeted Lee as the company faces allegations of misappropriating $826 million in digital assets from around 16,000 investors.
HARU INVEST CEO STABBED DURING COURT HEARING IN SOUTH KOREA – WHAT WE KNOW
— BSCN (@BSCNews) August 28, 2024
– On August 28, Hugo Lee, CEO of Digital Asset Management firm, Haru Invest, was brutally attacked during a court hearing in South Korea, according to local media outlet, Digital Asset.
Here’s What We… https://t.co/JEMnpfzUv4 pic.twitter.com/qRLH3bqUAo
Haru Invest had suspended withdrawals in June 2023, triggering widespread investor panic.
The courtroom violence underscores a growing trend of physical attacks linked to cryptocurrency crimes, with similar incidents reported recently in Thailand, Ukraine, and London.
The CEO of Haru Invest, a South Korean crypto earning company, was attacked with a weapon in court and stabbed in the neck several times with a short knife. South Korean prosecutors charged three executives of Haru Invest with stealing about $826 million in cryptocurrency from…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) August 28, 2024
Lee, who was previously arrested in February 2024, had been released ahead of his trial.
The rise in violent crimes connected to digital assets highlights the increasing risks faced by those involved in the cryptocurrency industry.