BTS’s Jungkook Impersonated in $6.2M Stock Theft Scheme; Mastermind Extradited

The mastermind behind a hacking organization that attempted to steal stocks worth KRW 8.4 billion (approx. $6.2 million USD) by impersonating BTS member Jungkook has been apprehended.

On the 22nd, the Ministry of Justice announced that it had extradited a 34-year-old Chinese national, identified as A, from Bangkok, Thailand to Incheon International Airport. A is the alleged ringleader of a hacking crime syndicate that infiltrated numerous websites and siphoned off a total of KRW 38 billion (approx. $28 million USD) from the financial and virtual asset accounts of prominent South Korean figures, including wealthy business leaders.

According to authorities, A organized a hacking group overseas and, from 2023 to January 2024, illegally gathered personal information. The group registered mobile phone accounts under the victims’ names and transferred large sums from their financial and virtual asset accounts without authorization.

The Ministry of Justice stated, “The confirmed victims include well-known celebrities, conglomerate chairpersons, venture company CEOs, and other affluent individuals in Korea.”

The crime ring specifically targeted BTS’s Jungkook in January 2024, during his military training period. Without Jungkook’s knowledge, a total of 33,500 shares of HYBE stock were transferred to an unauthorized account opened in his name. The perpetrators attempted to steal stocks worth KRW 8.4 billion (approx. $6.2 million USD) by forging a securities account under Jungkook’s identity. They sold 500 shares (worth KRW 12.6 million, approx. $9,200 USD) to a third party in an attempt to profit.

In March, Jungkook filed a lawsuit to reclaim the shares from the third party who had purchased the 500 shares. In February, the Seoul Western District Court ruled, “There was no valid transfer contract for the shares, and Jungkook had been impersonated through identity theft,” ordering that all shares be returned to Jungkook.

HYBE’s label BIGHIT MUSIC told Xportsnews, “As soon as the company and artist became aware of the crime, we immediately froze the account and recovered the assets, preventing any substantial loss. In addition to legal measures, we have also strengthened security protocols for artists’ personal and device information to prevent future incidents.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Interpol, tracked the suspect’s whereabouts. In April, they received intelligence that A had entered Thailand and promptly requested his emergency detention from Thai authorities. Through collaboration with Southeast Asian law enforcement networks and Interpol, the Ministry of Justice secured A’s extradition, bringing him back to Korea after four months.

Photo Credit: Xportsnews

This article is a translated version of the original Korean article published by Xportsnews, originally written by Oh Seunghyun. This article was translated from Korean using AI-assisted tools and human review to deliver an accurate and culturally appropriate version for international readers.