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BTS star Jungkook has been at the center of a shocking identity theft case, and South Korean police have now made a major breakthrough. The main suspect, a 34 year old man with the surname Jeon, has admitted to some of the charges while continuing to deny others.
The case first came to light in January 2024 while Jungkook was serving his military duty. His name had been illegally used to open a securities account, which was then used to sell stocks worth nearly 100 million KRW, around 73,000 USD. Although Jungkook later recovered the money through a civil lawsuit in March, the crime raised huge concerns among fans and the public.
At a press briefing on August 25, police confirmed Jeon’s partial admission of guilt. Authorities revealed that Jeon, a Chinese national, had allegedly hacked local telecom platforms and other online services between August 2023 and January 2024. He was tracked down in Thailand and extradited to South Korea on August 22 before being officially arrested on August 24.
Investigators say Jungkook was not the only victim. The suspect also used the identities of a top chaebol chairman, a venture company CEO, and other high profile figures. Using stolen personal data, he reportedly activated mobile accounts and siphoned funds from both financial and virtual asset accounts.
So far, the fraud scheme has caused damages estimated at 38 billion KRW, roughly 27.7 million USD. Police have arrested 16 people linked to the case, with two suspects still being held. Jeon will now be handed over to prosecutors as investigators continue to build their case.
Officials stressed that the investigation is far from over and that they must uncover the full scope of the financial and personal damage. The case has sparked intense concern about rising cybersecurity threats in South Korea, especially for celebrities and public figures like BTS members.
Fans of Jungkook have voiced outrage online, calling for tougher data protections and harsher punishments for cybercriminals. With Jeon facing prosecution, authorities hope this case will be a turning point in the fight against large scale identity theft and online fraud.