A South Korean courtroom has jailed a celeb professional golfer and the previous head of the crypto change Bithumb for bribery and trying to govern altcoin worth ranges.
Per Hankyoreh, the previous Bithumb CEO Lee Sang-jun was sentenced to 2 years in jail for ordering his workers to listing an unnamed altcoin.
The identical courtroom additionally jailed the previous golfer Ahn Sung-hyun for 4 and a half years on the identical trial.
Ahn is finest recognized in South Korea because the husband of Track Yu-ri, an actress and former member of the Ok-pop group F.inKL.
Altcoin Value Manipulation Accusations
A department of the Seoul Southern District Courtroom jailed the duo on December 26. The Presiding Choose Jeong Do-seong known as the crime “an act that harms the equity and transparency of the cryptoasset market” and mentioned it may “lead to big losses for trustworthy traders.”

Prosecutors mentioned that the previous CEO took 3 billion received (over $2 million) in money and 400 million received ($271,000) price of “luxurious watches, luxurious baggage, and high-end restaurant membership playing cards.”
Lee, the courtroom dominated, took the cash from the reclusive businessman Kang Jong-hyun (42) in 2021.
In change, the ex-CEO agreed to listing “a particular digital asset to be listed on the Bithumb change.”
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‘Bithumb Secret Proprietor’ Additionally Jailed
Prosecutors have beforehand accused Kang of attempting to artificially spike the worth of low-cap altcoins by itemizing them on Bithumb.
Kang, an in depth pal of each Ahn and Lee, was additionally jailed for a 12 months and a half. The courtroom heard that Kang offered Ahn with the cash and items the latter then used to bribe Lee.
Nevertheless, the courtroom additionally heard that Ahn pocketed among the funds he claimed Lee had demanded. The ex-golfer then used these stolen funds to purchase shares.
Prosecutors defined that Kang gave Ahn round $2 million price of money, however added that there was “no important proof to counsel that” he handed Lee “even a portion of this.” The decide mentioned:
“The character of the crime is heinous, as [Ahn] embezzled 2 billion received to purchase shares.”
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Kang was convicted of a breach of belief, and the controversy over his alleged “secret possession” of Bithumb continues.
The identical courtroom dominated discovered an unnamed cryptoasset issuer not responsible of taking part in a component within the affair.
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