The development of information technology has brought countless benefits to humanity but has also introduced many risks, particularly for celebrities. Beyond the dangers of personal information or privacy violations, today’s celebrities must also face serious financial risks at the hands of hackers.
On the 22nd of this month, кσяєαn social media was shaken by news from the Ministry of Justice announcing the arrest of the ringleader of a hacking organization who had stolen the identities and personal information of wealthy and prominent figures in society—including entertainers, conglomerate chairmen, and venture business CEOs—and used them to embezzle enormous sums of money.
Specifically, a 34-year-old Chinese national, identified only as “A,” was named as the ringleader behind a scheme that stole over 38 billion won (approximately 29 million USD) from domestic financial accounts and virtual αѕѕet wallets after hacking into websites. A was urgently extradited from Bangkok, Thailand, and arrested at Incheon International Airport at 5:05 a.m. on the same day.
Notably, Jungkook was also on the long list of victims of A!
In January of last year, shortly after his military enlistment, Jungkook was reported to have had his identity stolen in a securities account. Hackers opened an unauthorized account under his name, then transferred 33,000 shares into the new account and sold 500 shares to a third-party investor. At that time, the total value of the stolen shares amounted to 8.4 billion won (5.7 million USD).
Fortunately, his management company immediately froze the transactions upon detecting suspicious activity, preventing any real financial loss. In addition, the idol filed a lawsuit to reclaim the 500 shares that had been transferred to the third party, and the court ruled in his favor.
According to investigations, Jungkook’s case was part of a series of illegal operations led by A, who had organized a hacker group in Thailand and other countries between August 2023 and January 2024. They infiltrated telecommunications websites to illegally collect personal information. A then used the victims’ names to activate mobile phones, enabling unauthorized transfers of funds and αѕѕets from their bank and virtual accounts.
The Ministry of Justice, together with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Interpol, tracked A’s movements and, in April of this year, received intelligence that he had entered Thailand. South кσяєα immediately requested an emergency detention for extradition. Through the Southeast Asian cooperation network and Interpol, authorities secured A’s custody within just two weeks.
Last month, кσяєαn prosecutors and investigators were dispatched to Thailand to coordinate details with local authorities regarding the extradition process and timing. After four months since the emergency request, A was finally extradited to South кσяєα.
The Ministry of Justice stated that it will continue to pursue and strictly punish overseas-based hacking, online fraud, and voice phishing crime organizations through its newly established “International Voice Phishing Crime Response Task Force.”
This not only reαѕѕures fans that the mastermind and his network in Jungkook’s case have been captured, but also provides comfort to the many other celebrities and potential victims. The incident serves as a stark reminder to everyone about the importance of safeguarding personal αѕѕets.
