South Korean Man Operates Fake Securities Platform, Laundering $2.9 Million Through Cryptocurrency, Receives 8-Year Prison Sentence

On November 26th, a South Korean court sentenced a man to prison for operating a fake securities trading platform and laundering $4.2 million of illegal proceeds through cryptocurrency. According to the South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo, the operator of this fake platform replicated the logo and data of a "well-known" securities firm in an attempt to make the scam seem more legitimate. This case was heard in the criminal division of the Gwangju District Court. Presiding Judge Kim Young-Kyu noted that the platform defrauded a total of 116 victims. Judge Kim ultimately sentenced the man to 8 years in prison. During the court hearing, it was revealed that his accomplice, in his early 40s, helped him launder the investors' $2.9 million into cryptocurrency through company accounts and private wallets to complete the money laundering process. This case highlights the surge in criminal activities in the crypto industry. According to FBI data, reported losses from cryptocurrency investment scams in 2024 exceeded $5.8 billion. DefiLlama data shows that in 2025, cybercriminals stole over $2.4 billion through hacks and exploits, doubling the amount stolen in 2024. Furthermore, so-called "rug pull" scams took $4 billion in 2024, with Chainalysis data indicating a rising trend in related cases.