

Haru Invest, a digital asset investment platform based in South Korea, became embroiled in one of the most significant financial scandals in the country's cryptocurrency industry. The company faced serious allegations of fraud involving the misappropriation of approximately $550 million in virtual assets belonging to its investors.
Investigations uncovered irregularities in fund management and questionable business practices that impacted thousands of investors who had entrusted their digital assets to the platform. The Haru Invest case became a symbol of the risks associated with inadequately regulated cryptocurrency investment platforms, sparking public debate over the need for stricter regulatory frameworks in South Korea.
The company’s CEO, identified as Lee, along with other senior executives, was formally charged with fraud and embezzlement. The case attracted significant media attention, not only due to the scale of the financial losses but also because of its implications for the reputation of the cryptocurrency industry in one of the world’s most technologically advanced economies.
In August 2024, during a court hearing related to the Haru Invest fraud case, a violent incident shocked the South Korean judicial system and the crypto community. A man identified as Kang, allegedly one of the investors affected by the platform’s collapse, managed to enter the courtroom armed with a knife.
During the hearing, Kang lunged at Lee, the CEO of Haru Invest, and stabbed him in an attack that caused chaos and panic among those present. Court security staff quickly intervened to subdue the assailant, while Lee received emergency medical attention at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital.
The attack reflected the deep frustration and desperation of some investors who had lost their savings in the Haru Invest collapse. Although violence











