South Korean Man Faces Murder Charge Over Bitcoin Bet Gone Bad
Decrypt
by Jason NelsonFebruary 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
South Korean authorities have indicted a 39-year-old man on charges of attempted murder after he allegedly poisoned his business partner with a pesticide-laced coffee following a mismanaged Bitcoin investment. The incident occurred in November 2023 when the victim, identified as Mr. B, drank the contaminated coffee and fell into a coma, regaining consciousness three days later. Prosecutors claim that tensions between the two partners escalated after Mr. A suffered significant financial losses from cryptocurrency investments, leading him to purchase methomyl—a highly toxic insecticide—and lace Mr. B’s drink.
The two men had been managing funds together since 2022 through Bitcoin investment programs. However, their relationship deteriorated following a personal loss of 1.17 billion won ($811,000) by Mr. A, which he was unable to recover. The incident took place during a period when Bitcoin prices were trending downward, having fallen approximately 35% from its peak in October. Mr. B described the impact on his family, stating that his wife was in the early stages of pregnancy at the time and their family was nearly destroyed.
This case highlights the growing trend of crypto-related crimes, with physical attacks linked to cryptocurrency disputes increasingly reported worldwide. A recent CertiK report revealed a 75% year-over-year increase in “wrench attacks,” where criminals use violence or intimidation to steal cryptocurrency. Other notable cases include a kidnapping and murder in Spain targeting a crypto executive and the jailing of UK teenagers who stole $4.3 million in cryptocurrency through knife-point thefts.
The attempted murder case underscores the high stakes involved in cryptocurrency investments, both financially and personally. As the market becomes more volatile and losses mount, individuals may resort to extreme measures to recover their funds or avoid accountability for failures. This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the potential risks of investing in cryptocurrencies and the importance of securing digital assets to
Verticals
cryptoweb3
Originally published on Decrypt on 2/24/2026