South Korean prosecutors have charged a 39-year-old man with attempted murder after he allegedly poisoned his business partner's coffee with a toxic pesticide, an act they claim was motivated by a failed secret cryptocurrency investment and a desire to take sole control of their joint company.
The incident occurred on November 23 last year at a café near Seokchon Lake in Seoul's Songpa District. The accused, identified only as 'A', allegedly arrived early for a meeting with his partner, 'B', and asked what he wanted to drink. After B requested an iced latte, A purchased the beverage, secretly added the pesticide methomyl, and handed it to B upon his arrival. B collapsed shortly after consumption and was rushed to a hospital, where he was placed in a medically induced coma for three days before regaining consciousness.
The root of the conflict was a clandestine crypto investment. The two men had been business partners since 2022, running Bitcoin investment programs. Their relationship deteriorated after A made a separate, secret investment of 1.17 billion Korean won (approximately $810,000), which included company funds, and the investment failed. B discovered the unauthorized use of company capital, leading to significant tension.
Prosecutors allege that A resented his partner's rebukes and planned the murder to gain full control of the company and its remaining assets. In preparation, A purchased methomyl, a colorless and odorless insecticide, from an online vendor in China for around 290,000 won ($200) in October. The pesticide was illegally smuggled into South Korea via Incheon International Airport.
The accused has been charged with attempted murder and violations of the Pesticide Control Act. He remains in custody, with his trial set to begin on March 10 at the Seoul Eastern District Court. The victim, B, told media, "My family was almost completely destroyed. I have since made a partial recovery, but I still need medical treatment."
This case highlights a rise in crypto-related crime in South Korea. It coincides with increased scrutiny of digital asset handling by public institutions, following high-profile security breaches. Notably, the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office lost 320.8 Bitcoin (worth about $21.4 million at the time) last year after investigators accidentally entered sensitive wallet information on a phishing site while examining seized assets.
