- South Korean police arrested suspects paid in cryptocurrency for revenge vandalism attacks.
- The attacks were coordinated through Telegram, with police searching for the organizers
Police have arrested several individuals who are linked to the vandalism attacks after being paid in cryptocurrency. Authorities say that the suspects were hired through encrypted messaging platforms and were instructed to damage property as part of a private revenge service.
An arrest was made
The recent arrest was of a 20-year-old man following the warrant issued by the Suwon District Court on March 1. Prosecutors say that the suspect entered an apartment building in Dongtan New City on Feb 22. He allegedly sprayed red paint on a resident’s front door and left defamatory leaflets targeting the occupant. Authorities also reported that the suspect threw waste material at the location as part of the act meant to intimidate the victim.
Police believed that the suspects were recruited and directed through the encrypted messaging app Telegram. During questioning, several suspects reportedly told investigators that they were paid between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Korean won in crypto for carrying out the acts.
Authorities have connected several similar incidents, and one earlier case involved another suspect who allegedly entered a residential building in Gunpo City on Feb 24 and carried out similar vandalism using spray paint. Police are also reviewing a previous incident in Pyeongtaek that took place in December and may be linked to the same network.
Individuals who carried out the vandalism have been arrested, and police say that they are focusing on identifying the higher-level organizers. Authorities believe that people hide their identities through encrypted messaging. This case highlights how social media and encrypted communication tools can be used to organize criminal activity.
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