'Bold' Accountant in Their 20s Embezzles 570 Million Won Over 5 Years for Cryptocurrency Investments

Transferred Company Funds to Personal Account 680 Times
Used Corporate Bankbook and Seal to Commit Crime... Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

A staff member in their twenties who embezzled company funds amounting to hundreds of millions of won to invest in cryptocurrency and pay for personal travel expenses has been sentenced to prison.

According to Yonhap News Agency on April 21, the Busan District Court Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judge Kim Hyunsun) sentenced a finance staff member in their twenties, identified as A, to three years in prison for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and other charges.

Busan District Court. The Asia Business Daily DB

The court stated, "The crime was committed repeatedly over a long period, the total amount embezzled is substantial, and restitution to the victim has not been made to date. These factors were considered in determining the sentence."

The court further noted, "The victim is also petitioning for a severe punishment," and added, "Considering the duration and method of the crime, as well as the scale of the damage, the defendant bears significant culpability."

A is accused of embezzling a total of approximately 570 million won by transferring money from the company's account to their own account about 680 times between 2021 and last year while working as an accounting staff member at a company in Busan.

It was found that the individual committed the crime by using the corporate bankbook and corporate seal they had access to while handling accounting tasks.

Additionally, A forged a certificate of the company's deposit trust balance and submitted it to the responsible tax accounting office. This was a method used to conceal the crime.

It was revealed that A spent the embezzled funds on cryptocurrency investments, overseas travel expenses, and living costs.

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