Haru Invest CEO stabbed during fraud trial: report

The chairman of South Korean cryptocurrency lender Haru Invest was reportedly attacked with a knife in a courtroom during a fraud trial.

Hugo Hyungsoo Lee, CEO of South Korean cryptocurrency trading platform Haru Invest, was attacked with a knife in a courtroom during the ongoing fraud case against him, South Korean media outlet Digital Asset reported on August 28, citing sources present at the hearing.

The attack reportedly took place at the Seoul Southern District Court, where Lee was sitting in the dock. Lee has been under investigation since June 2023, when deposits and withdrawals at Haru and Delio were suspended. He was charged with fraud under South Korea’s Aggravated Punishment for Certain Economic Crimes Act in February and released on bail in July.

Lee was sitting in the dock when a man identified as “Kang”, the victim of the Haru incident, attacked him with a 5cm knife that he was carrying secretly. The attacker, who was watching the hearing, reportedly ran up to Lee and stabbed him multiple times in the neck. Court guards quickly intervened to subdue Kang.

Following the attack, Lee was reportedly seen on the courtroom floor covered in blood, with blood stains on the floor. Emergency services arrived shortly after and Lee was taken to a nearby hospital. His current condition is unknown. The report states that Kang was arrested at the scene and is currently under police investigation.

This incident follows recent developments in the Haru Invest case. In February 2024, South Korean prosecutors announced the arrest of three Haru executives, including two co-CEOs, on charges of embezzling approximately $826 million from approximately 16,000 users. The company allegedly misrepresented its investment practices and used misleading advertising for its high-yield products.

Local authorities are also investigating Haru and Delio after both companies abruptly stopped withdrawals in June 2023. Haru Invest claimed to manage deposits using risk-free techniques but was found to have deposited most of its client deposits through a single person.