Crypto: South Korean Man Indicted In Alleged Pesticide Poisoning Tied To...

South Korean prosecutors reportedly accused a man of poisoning a business partner with pesticide in a dispute over losses due to crypto trading.

A South Korean man has been indicted on attempted murder charges after allegedly poisoning his business partner with pesticide-laced coffee amid a dispute over more than $816,000 in crypto losses, according to local reports.

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office has accused a man in his 30s of adding the pesticide methomyl to his business partner’s drink during a meeting at a café in November, local news outlets Chosun and Asia Business Daily reported on Monday.

After drinking the coffee, the victim lost consciousness and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital and regained consciousness three days later, according to reports.

Starting in 2022, the two men reportedly operated an investment business managing Bitcoin (BTC) investment programs.

However, a dispute arose when the accused man allegedly lost over 1.17 billion Korean won ($816,000), including company funds he had personally invested, leading the alleged victim to assume control of the company’s finances.

The alleged victim, who was not named, told Asia Business Daily that at the time he claims he was poisoned, “I was about to get married, and my wife was in the early stages of pregnancy. My family was almost completely destroyed. I've recovered a lot now, but I still go to the hospital.”

Related: Bank of Korea renews call for bank-led won stablecoins as bill stalls

A trial date is scheduled for March 10 at the Seoul Eastern District Court, where the accused is facing charges of attempted murder and violation of the Pesticide Control Act.

The case comes amid a friendlier environment for crypto in South Korea since the election of President Lee Jae-myung in June, who has pushed forward with various crypto-related laws, including a bill to legalize stablecoins.

Source: CoinTelegraph