&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "BTS Jungkook among other celebrities targeted in fraud attempt by international hacking ring; alleged scammer extradited")
South Korean boy band BTS are currently touring the world for their Arirang world tour. Following their performance in Mexico, which has created quite a buzz, the members will be next performing at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, CA followed by Las Vegas. Amid this, several reports has emerged that the youngest member Jungkook amongst the other celebrities was the target of an identity theft and stock fraud scheme. The scammer has now been extradited.
Scammer caught in the fraud case of celebs, including BTS' Jungkook
Reportedly, an international hacking syndicate used his stolen personal data to create unauthorised securities accounts and illegally attempt to steal more than 38 billion won ($25.4 million) from victims' bank and cryptocurrency accounts.
Reportedly, a 40-year-old Chinese national is accused of forming a criminal ring in Thailand and hacking into multiple websites, including those of budget mobile carriers, between August 2023 and April 2025 to obtain the personal information of potential victims. Confirmed victims include the chairman of a major conglomerate, the head of a venture company and BTS member Jungkook.
The reports suggest that the justice ministry requested his provisional arrest for extradition in May 2025, a treaty-based procedure used to secure a suspect's custody before a formal extradition request is filed. In August 2025, the ministry formally requested his extradition from Thai authorities. He was ultimately sent to Korea following extradition proceedings in Thailand and approval from Thai authorities.
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The latest move comes after another leader of the criminal ring, a 36-year-old Chinese national, was extradited to Korea from Thailand in August. The 36-year-old is currently standing trial in the country under detention.
Inside Jungkook's stock fraud case and legal battle
In early 2024, hackers transferred the HYBE shares into unauthorised accounts. While 33,000 shares were frozen, 500 shares (worth about 126 million KRW) were sold to an unsuspecting third party.
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Because HYBE and BigHit Music quickly detected and froze the transactions, no massive financial damage occurred. It attempted to transfer and sell 33,500 HYBE shares (worth 8.4 billion KRW). Once the unauthorised activity was discovered, BigHit Music blocked further payments, and Jungkook filed a civil lawsuit in March 2024 against the buyer of the 500 stolen shares.
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In February 2025, the Seoul Western District Court ruled in Jungkook's favour, declaring the sale invalid because it was based on stolen identity. The court cited "gross negligence" on the buyer's part for failing to verify the seller's true identity.
