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BTS' Jungkook's 8.44 billion KRW HYBE stock targeted in alleged illegal theft attempt; report
BTS member Jungkook nearly fell victim to a major monetary fraud during his military training. Read on for details.
A shocking attempt was made to steal 8.44 billion won worth of HYBE stocks owned by BTS member Jungkook, as reported by K-media Biz Hankook on March 22, 2025. The thief exploited Jungkook's distraction during his military training to carry out the illicit stock transfer and sale. The perpetrator allegedly transferred 33,500 shares of HYBE stock to a new account and then sold 500 of them to a third party.
The incident occurred on January 6 last year, when the thief allegedly opened three unauthorized securities accounts under Jungkook's name, using them to transfer and sell stocks without his consent. In March 2024, the BTS member filed a civil lawsuit in the Seoul Western District Court to retrieve his shares. The ruling of the case filed against the third party who purchased the 500 shares went in favor of Jungkook.
In February 2025, the court reportedly presented its verdict, ordering the third party to return the stocks to the K-pop star. His 33,000 shares were reportedly valued at 8.316 billion KRW based on the closing price on January 5. Regarding the transfer of the 500 shares, the Seoul Court ruled last month, "There was no valid stock transfer contract, and Jungkook was clearly a victim of identity theft," ordering the third party to return the stocks. The third party claimed they had purchased the shares in good faith, having no knowledge of the item's illicit origin.
However, the court dismissed the argument, ruling that the third party had been negligent in not verifying the stockholder's identity before completing the transaction, especially since they were aware the shares belonged to a major shareholder. The third party initially challenged the ruling but withdrew their appeal in March 2025. It was also revealed that they paid 20,000 USDT (a cryptocurrency) to the seller in advance for the 500 shares.
Though they were presented to the court, the actual mastermind behind the hacking of Jungkook's accounts remains unknown and is yet to face legal consequences. Suspicion surrounds someone close to the artist, as according to a securities company official, "The perpetrator seemed to have comprehensive knowledge of Jungkook's financial information. They attempted to transfer not only stocks but also cash."
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