Seoul man charged in Bitcoin poisoning plot

A 39-year-old South Korean man has been indicted for attempted murder after allegedly poisoning his business partner over losses tied to a Bitcoin investment programme, prosecutors in Seoul said.

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said the suspect mixed the banned insecticide methomyl into his partner’s coffee in November near Seokchon Lake, leaving the victim in a coma for three days before he regained consciousness.

Prosecutors allege the dispute escalated after the accused personally lost 1.17 billion won, or about $811,000, in Bitcoin investments that had been managed through the pair’s joint business since 2022.

“I was about to get married at the time, and my wife was in the early stages of pregnancy,”

The victim told Asia Business Daily, adding that his family was “almost completely destroyed” by the incident.

Authorities said tensions intensified after the victim took over management of company funds in September, with prosecutors alleging the suspect purchased the poison before the investment loss and began plotting the attack as Bitcoin slid roughly 35% from its October peak of $126,080.

The first court hearing is scheduled for March 10 at the Seoul Eastern District Court, where the accused also faces charges under the Pesticide Control Act.

The case underscores a broader rise in physical crypto-linked crimes, with blockchain security firm CertiK reporting a 75% year-on-year increase in so-called “wrench attacks” in 2025, resulting in more than $40.9 million in confirmed losses.

At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $64,183.01.