From Victim to Criminal: South Korean Man Faces 10 Years for Haru Invest CEO’s Stabbing

Seoul prosecutors are pushing for a 10-year prison sentence for the man who stabbed Haru Invest’s CEO during a court hearing last year.

The assailant, allegedly one of the platform’s many fraud victims, reportedly lost 100 BTC in what authorities claim was a $960 million scheme affecting 16,000 investors.

Once seeking justice, he now faces severe legal consequences.

Haru Invest’s Fraud Case

The attack took place during Lee’s court hearing on multiple fraud charges.

Prosecutors allege that Lee orchestrated a scheme that defrauded approximately 16,000 investors—both in and outside South Korea—of 1.4 trillion Korean won ($962 million).

From March 2020 to June 2023, Haru Invest attracted investors with promises of full principal returns and interest rates of up to 16%, despite operating under capital impairment since 2019.

The platform abruptly froze deposits and withdrawals on June 13, 2023, before declaring bankruptcy in November.

Among the victims was Kang, who lost 100 BTC—valued at $8.3 million—through the platform.

Victim-Turned-Attacker’s Impulsive Action Might Cost Him More Than His Lost Fortune

During Wednesday’s final hearing, Kang’s lawyer argued that his client acted in a moment of emotional distress due to severe financial losses, urging the court to classify the incident as aggravated assault rather than attempted murder.

Meanwhile, Lee stated during Kang’s December hearing that he needed time to decide whether to pursue legal action against his attacker.

Lee also noted that he is working to recover investor losses through the ongoing bankruptcy process.

The court is set to deliver Kang’s sentence on 4 April.

Will the court consider his plight, or will it impose the maximum penalty?