Police Track Russian Group Who Tried to Steal 1 Billion Won in Coin Scam; One Suspect Fled Abroad

Police Request Interpol Cooperation
to Track Suspect Who Fled the Country

The police are tracking down a group of Russian nationals who attempted to lure victims to a hotel under the pretense of cryptocurrency (coin) trading and tried to steal 1 billion won in cash.

On May 21, the Gangseo Police Station in Seoul announced that they are pursuing three Russian men, including a suspect identified as A, on charges of robbery and assault. The suspects allegedly injured two Korean men with blunt weapons in a hotel room in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, the previous afternoon and attempted to steal 1 billion won in cash.

According to the police, the suspects are accused of inviting ten Koreans, including the victims, to the hotel under the guise of a coin transaction, then assaulting them and attempting to steal their cash.

When two of the victims entered the hotel room, the foreign suspects reportedly threatened them with a replica handgun, tied their hands with cable ties, and beat them with extendable batons and other weapons.

One of the victims managed to break free from the cable ties and escape, seeking help from other Koreans in the hotel lobby. As a result, suspect A fled the scene without being able to steal the bag containing 1 billion won in cash.

The victims were taken to a university hospital in Seoul for treatment. Suspect A left the country immediately after the crime, and the police are conducting an investigation in cooperation with Interpol.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.