Attempted murder charge filed against South Korean businessman in crypto dispute poisoning case
Authorities in South Korea have filed attempted murder charges against a man accused of lacing his business associate's coffee with pesticide following an $816,000 cryptocurrency investment dispute.
Prosecutors in South Korea have brought charges against a businessman who allegedly attempted to kill his business associate by contaminating his coffee with pesticide, stemming from a contentious disagreement over cryptocurrency investment losses exceeding $816,000.
According to reports from local media outlets Chosun and Asia Business Daily published on Monday, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a man in his 30s for allegedly mixing the toxic pesticide methomyl into his business associate's beverage during a November meeting at a local café.
The victim became unconscious and fell to the ground after consuming the poisoned coffee. Emergency responders transported him to a medical facility, where he remained in a comatose state before regaining consciousness after a three-day period, as documented in the reports.
Dispute over $800,000 in crypto losses
According to reports, the two businessmen had been running an investment operation together since 2022, with a focus on managing Bitcoin (BTC) investment programs for clients.
Tensions between the partners escalated after the defendant allegedly suffered losses totaling more than 1.17 billion Korean won ($816,000), which included corporate capital that he had personally invested in cryptocurrency ventures, prompting the alleged victim to take over financial management responsibilities for the company.
Speaking to Asia Business Daily, the alleged victim, whose identity was withheld from publication, stated that during the period when he alleges the poisoning occurred, "I was about to get married, and my wife was in the early stages of pregnancy. My family was almost completely destroyed. I've recovered a lot now, but I still go to the hospital."
The defendant is set to appear before the Seoul Eastern District Court on March 10 for trial proceedings, where he faces serious criminal charges including attempted murder and violating provisions of the Pesticide Control Act.
This criminal case unfolds against the context of South Korea's increasingly favorable regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency following President Lee Jae-myung's electoral victory in June, with the administration advancing numerous crypto-focused legislative initiatives, including proposed legislation to authorize and regulate stablecoins.
This regulatory shift has sparked significant growth in South Korea's local cryptocurrency sector, with registered users on domestic crypto trading platforms exceeding 16 million individuals last year, representing more than 30% of the nation's total population, as digital asset markets reached unprecedented valuation peaks.
Despite this growth, the broader cryptocurrency marketplace experienced a significant correction in late 2025, with Bitcoin experiencing a sharp decline from its October high point exceeding $125,000 to drop below the $90,000 threshold by the conclusion of December. The downward trajectory has persisted, with current trading prices hovering around the $65,500 level.