From Crypto Partners To Alleged Poisoner: A South Korean Business Gone Wrong

A man in his thirties has been charged with attempted murder after a business partner fell ill following a meeting at a café, reports say. The case stems from a dispute over failed crypto investments.

The accused is alleged to have put the pesticide methomyl into the partner’s coffee during a meeting in November. The victim collapsed, was taken to hospital, and regained consciousness three days later.

Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office opened the case and brought the charges. According to local outlets, the dispute grew out of heavy losses tied to a shared Bitcoin investment program in the crypto market that began in 2022.

Reports say about ₩1.17 billion was lost — an amount that, by the parties’ account, included both company funds and money the accused had put in personally.

Alleged Poisoning

The man accused is said to have met his partner at a café and offered a drink. After taking a few sips, the partner lost consciousness. Emergency services were called. He was rushed to hospital and stayed under care for several days.

He later told reporters his life had been shaken; he had been planning a wedding and his partner’s illness hit his family hard.

Dispute Over Crypto Investment Funds

Reports note the two ran an investment operation that handled pooled money for Bitcoin bets within the crypto sector. The exact business setup is not fully explained in public reports. It is not clear whether outside investors were involved or if the money was only theirs.

That detail matters because it changes how the loss would be seen — as private failure or as potential misconduct affecting others. For now, prosecutors are focused on the poisoning charge and a breach of the Pesticide Control Act.

Chosun and Asia Business Daily carried quotes and timelines from investigators and from the victim. The reporting has emphasized the human toll: sleepless nights, hospital visits, and a ruined wedding plan. Those details give a face to what might otherwise read as a financial dispute.

A trial is scheduled for March 10 at the Seoul Eastern District Court. Prosecutors will present evidence linking the accused to the pesticide and to the drink served that day.

The accused faces serious penalties if convicted, including prison time and fines under the pesticide law.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView