{"investigation":{"slug":"catfi-memecoin-eth-father-park","entity_name":"CATFI Memecoin / Eth Father (Park)","trust_score":0,"severity_base":null,"score_modifier":-8,"confidence":0.92,"status":"published","content_type":"investigation","summary":"CATFI is a Solana-based memecoin launched in early 2025 via Pump.fun that was the subject of a coordinated rug pull orchestrated by a South Korean operator known online as 'Eth Father,' identified by prosecutors only as Mr. Park. The scheme artificially inflated the token 1,001-fold within 26 hours before a mass exit drained investor funds, causing approximately 900 million KRW (~$600,000) in losses across at least 256 victims. In May 2026 the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office charged five individuals, marking South Korea's first criminal prosecution of a decentralized-exchange rug pull under the Virtual Asset User Protection Act.","sections":[{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/05/27/south-korea-files-first-dex-fraud-case-after-catfi-rug-pull-scam/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://coinjournal.net/news/south-korea-makes-first-dex-rug-pull-arrests-in-solana-catfi-case/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://coinfomania.com/south-korea-charges-five-in-first-ever-dex-rug-pull-case/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://decrypt.co/369134/solana-meme-coin-surges-6000-after-creators-arrested-over-rug-pull","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://www.theblock.co/post/402697/south-korea-first-rugpull-memecoin","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/south-korea-first-arrest-memecoin-rug-pull-report","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://coinfomania.com/south-korea-charges-five-in-first-ever-dex-rug-pull-case/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://www.banklesstimes.com/articles/2026/05/27/south-korea-launches-first-ever-criminal-case-over-defi-dex-rug-pull/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://crypto.news/south-korea-makes-first-dex-rug-pull-arrest-in-catfi-case/","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://coinpaper.com/17306/south-korea-charges-catfi-meme-coin-team-in-first-dex-rug-pull-case","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://decrypt.co/369134/solana-meme-coin-surges-6000-after-creators-arrested-over-rug-pull","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://coinjournal.net/news/south-korea-makes-first-dex-rug-pull-arrests-in-solana-catfi-case/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/05/27/south-korea-files-first-dex-fraud-case-after-catfi-rug-pull-scam/","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/article/memecoin-team-linked-to-crypto-influencer-gcr-account-hack-according-to-zachxbt","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/memecoin-team-gcr-hack-zachxbt","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/?id=cat-memecoin-team-hacks-gcr","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://cryptonews.com/news/investigation-links-memecoin-team-to-hack-of-crypto-influencers-account-zachxbt/","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://decrypt.co/369134/solana-meme-coin-surges-6000-after-creators-arrested-over-rug-pull","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/solana-meme-coin-surges-6-130901647.html","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"","heading":"","sources":[{"url":"","name":"https://www.theblock.co/post/402697/south-korea-first-rugpull-memecoin","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://www.banklesstimes.com/articles/2026/05/27/south-korea-launches-first-ever-criminal-case-over-defi-dex-rug-pull/","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"","name":"https://coinfomania.com/south-korea-charges-five-in-first-ever-dex-rug-pull-case/","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2025-02-01","event":"CATFI memecoin launched on Pump.fun (Solana). Exact date within early 2025 not confirmed by public record.","source":""},{"date":"2025-02-01","event":"CATFI price surges approximately 1,001-fold within 26 hours of launch, reaching a peak market cap of approximately $8.37–8.99 million.","source":""},{"date":"2025-02-01","event":"Alleged orchestrators execute coordinated mass sell-off; token price collapses approximately 99% to a market cap near $12,170. At least 256 investors sustain combined losses of ~900 million KRW (~$600,000).","source":""},{"date":"2025-08-01","event":"Last recorded CATFI buy transaction before the May 2026 arrest-driven speculation. Token effectively dormant.","source":""},{"date":"2026-05-11","event":"South Korean law enforcement arrests two primary suspects in the CATFI rug pull investigation.","source":""},{"date":"2026-05-27","event":"Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office charges five individuals. Primary suspect identified by surname Park, alias 'Eth Father.' First DEX rug pull prosecution under South Korea's Virtual Asset User Protection Act.","source":""},{"date":"2026-05-27","event":"Following arrest news, CATFI token surges approximately 6,000% in speculative trading from a market cap of $2,350 to roughly $167,000.","source":""}],"sources_used":[],"source_tags":[],"addresses":[],"reviewed":false,"reviewed_by":null,"model_used":"claude-sonnet-4-6","created_at":"2026-05-28T01:54:13.873878+00:00","updated_at":"2026-05-29T17:23:32.984+00:00"}}