{"investigation":{"slug":"jonbur-kim-park-coin-king","entity_name":"Jonbur Kim Park (Coin King)","trust_score":3,"severity_base":null,"score_modifier":0,"confidence":0.62,"status":"draft","content_type":"investigation","summary":"Park, a South Korean crypto figure known by the aliases \"Jonbur Kim\" and \"HODL Kim\" and nicknamed the \"Coin King,\" faces prosecution in South Korea over an alleged multi-token pump-and-dump and market-manipulation scheme spanning the POD (Podo Coin), Grape Coin, and ATT (Artube) tokens, with prosecutors alleging combined investor losses around 340 billion won (roughly $245 million). He was indicted for the Podo Coin scheme in 2023, attempted to flee South Korea by fishing boat in December 2023, was granted bail in January 2024, and was re-arrested in February 2025 on separate Artube-related fraud charges. As of September 2026 prosecutors have requested a 20-year sentence against him, with a court verdict scheduled for October 15, 2026; a separate but thematically similar Seoul coin-fraud ring not shown to include Park was sentenced to up to 14 years in September 2026.","sections":[{"content":"South Korean prosecutors allege that Park, operating under the aliases \"Jonbur Kim\" and \"HODL Kim,\" orchestrated a fraud scheme centered on the Podo Coin (POD) token in which he allegedly embezzled or defrauded investors of approximately 20 billion won (about $14 million). Prosecutors allege he promoted POD-linked business ventures he had neither the intention nor the ability to operate, circulated fabricated promotional material, and coordinated buying activity to artificially inflate the token's price before selling into retail demand generated by his own promotional campaign. Park was indicted over the Podo Coin scheme in August 2023 and was granted bail in January 2024, allowing him to stand trial without detention pending further proceedings.","heading":"Alleged Podo Coin (POD) fraud","sources":[{"url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/south-korea-jonbur-kim-park-coin-king-rearrested/","name":"South Korea's \"Jonbur Kim\" Park, 'Coin King,' Rearrested — cryptonews.com","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.coinspeaker.com/from-bail-to-bars-south-koreas-hodl-kim-faces-new-47m-crypto-charges/","name":"From Bail to Bars: South Korea's 'HODL Kim' Faces New $47M Crypto Charges — Coinspeaker","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"},{"content":"While on bail in the Podo Coin case, Park was re-arrested after the Seoul Southern District Court issued an arrest warrant on February 20, citing risk of evidence tampering and flight. Prosecutors allege that between March 2021 and April 2022, Park and an accomplice identified as Mr. Moon orchestrated the fraudulent issuance and exchange listing of the Artube (ATT) token, allegedly manipulating its price through wash trading and misleading disclosures, and defrauding investors of approximately 68 billion won (about $47 million). Investigators allege the pair also bribed exchange executives to secure listings for the token and used misleading promotional material, alongside Park's public social-media image of luxury cars and wealth, to build credibility with retail investors.","heading":"Alleged Artube (ATT) token pump-and-dump and February 2025 re-arrest","sources":[{"url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/","name":"South Korean 'coin king' re-arrested for $47m crypto fraud — crypto.news","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604593200","name":"South Korean \"Jonbur Kim\" Park, 'Coin King,' Re-Arrested for $47M Crypto Fraud After Bail Release — Bitget News","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.coinspeaker.com/from-bail-to-bars-south-koreas-hodl-kim-faces-new-47m-crypto-charges/","name":"From Bail to Bars: South Korea's 'HODL Kim' Faces New $47M Crypto Charges — Coinspeaker","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"The Podo Coin (POD), Grape Coin, and Artube (ATT) allegations were consolidated into a single prosecution before the 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Court, with prosecutors alleging combined investor losses of approximately 340 billion won (roughly $245 million). Park allegedly ran a price-manipulation group referred to as the \"Oakwood Team,\" reportedly named after a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam district, which coordinated coordinated buying and promotional activity across the tokens. At a concluding hearing on August 21, 2026, prosecutors requested a 20-year prison sentence for Park and sought forfeiture of approximately 18.8 billion won from him; three co-defendants were also named. A verdict and sentencing for Park and the co-defendants is scheduled for October 15, 2026, and had not yet occurred as of this writing. Separately, bail was reportedly denied to Park at one stage of these combined proceedings, though the exact date of that denial could not be independently confirmed from available sources.","heading":"Combined 340 billion won (~$245M) prosecution and pending sentencing","sources":[{"url":"https://en.coinotag.com/korea-prosecutors-seek-20-years-pod-token-fraud-jonber-kim","name":"Prosecutors Seek 20 Years for \"Jonber Kim\" in 340 Billion Won POD Token Fraud — COINOTAG","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://bitcoinworld.co.in/crypto-scam-bail-denied/","name":"Crypto Scam: Shocking Bail Denial For 'Jonbur Kim' In $245M Fraud Case — BitcoinWorld","type":"news_article","credibility":3}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"In December 2023, while under investigation, Park was allegedly caught by South Korean authorities attempting to flee the country aboard a five-ton fishing boat departing from Jindo, South Jeolla Province, reportedly bound for China. Poor weather is reported to have forced the vessel to turn back, leading to his capture. He was separately convicted for violating South Korea's stowaway-punishment law in connection with the escape attempt and received a prison term that was later reduced on appeal; that conviction was reported to have been finalized by South Korea's Supreme Court in September 2024.","heading":"December 2023 attempted flight to China by fishing boat","sources":[{"url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/","name":"South Korean 'coin king' re-arrested for $47m crypto fraud — crypto.news","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604593200","name":"South Korean \"Jonbur Kim\" Park, 'Coin King,' Re-Arrested for $47M Crypto Fraud After Bail Release — Bitget News","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"},{"content":"On September 11, 2026, the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced members of a separate coin-fraud ring — described in reporting as approaching victims through stock-investment chat rooms, promising to recover their prior losses, and then selling them cryptocurrencies described by the court as effectively worthless — to prison terms of up to 14 years. Two defendants identified only as Lee, 64, and Kim, 53, each received 14-year sentences on fraud and related financial-crime charges tied to approximately 91.3 billion won in proceeds; other group members received sentences of four to seven years, and one defendant received a suspended sentence with community service. The court stated that \"the method of deception was elaborate and the nature of the offense was considerably bad.\" Reviewed reporting on this case does not name Park, \"Jonbur Kim,\" or \"Coin King\" as a defendant, and no verifiable source was found directly linking this specific case to Park. Given the shared modus operandi (multiple worthless coins marketed to loss-recovery-seeking investors) and possible confusion in some secondary reporting, any claim that this is the same ring or scheme as Park's should be treated as unverified.","heading":"Separate 91.3 billion won Seoul coin-fraud ring (unconfirmed link to Park)","sources":[{"url":"https://en.sedaily.com/society/2026/09/12/coin-fraud-ring-gets-heavy-sentences-for-913-billion-won","name":"Coin Fraud Ring Gets Heavy Sentences for 91.3 Billion Won Scheme — Seoul Economic Daily","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"medium"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2021-03","event":"Alleged start of the Artube (ATT) token fraud scheme, per prosecutors.","source":"crypto.news","source_url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/"},{"date":"2022-04","event":"Alleged end of the Artube (ATT) token fraud scheme period cited by prosecutors.","source":"crypto.news","source_url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/"},{"date":"2023-08","event":"Park indicted over the Podo Coin (POD) fraud scheme.","source":"cryptonews.com","source_url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/south-korea-jonbur-kim-park-coin-king-rearrested/"},{"date":"2023-12","event":"Park allegedly attempted to flee South Korea for China aboard a fishing boat departing Jindo, South Jeolla Province; the boat was reportedly forced back by bad weather and he was caught.","source":"crypto.news","source_url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/"},{"date":"2024-01","event":"Park granted bail in the Podo Coin case, allowing him to stand trial without detention.","source":"cryptonews.com","source_url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/south-korea-jonbur-kim-park-coin-king-rearrested/"},{"date":"2024-09","event":"Park's conviction for violating the stowaway-punishment law over the December 2023 escape attempt reportedly finalized by South Korea's Supreme Court.","source":"Bitget News","source_url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604593200"},{"date":"2025-02","event":"Seoul Southern District Court issued a new arrest warrant for Park over the Artube (ATT) token fraud allegations, while he was on bail in the Podo Coin case.","source":"Coinspeaker","source_url":"https://www.coinspeaker.com/from-bail-to-bars-south-koreas-hodl-kim-faces-new-47m-crypto-charges/","date_evidence":"on February 20, the Seoul Southern District Court issued an arrest warrant for Park","date_original":"2025-02-20"},{"date":"2026-08","event":"Concluding hearing held in the combined 340 billion won POD/Grape/ATT fraud case; prosecutors requested a 20-year prison sentence and roughly 18.8 billion won in forfeiture from Park.","source":"COINOTAG","source_url":"https://en.coinotag.com/korea-prosecutors-seek-20-years-pod-token-fraud-jonber-kim","date_evidence":"The request was made at the concluding hearing held on August 21 before the 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Court","date_original":"2026-08-21"},{"date":"2026-09","event":"Seoul Northern District Court announced sentences of up to 14 years for members of a separate 91.3 billion won coin-fraud ring; reviewed reporting does not name Park as a defendant in this case.","source":"Seoul Economic Daily","source_url":"https://en.sedaily.com/society/2026/09/12/coin-fraud-ring-gets-heavy-sentences-for-913-billion-won","date_original":"2026-09-11"},{"date":"2026-10","event":"Scheduled date for the Seoul Southern District Court verdict and sentencing of Park and three co-defendants in the combined POD/Grape/ATT fraud case (not yet occurred as of this report).","source":"COINOTAG","source_url":"https://en.coinotag.com/korea-prosecutors-seek-20-years-pod-token-fraud-jonber-kim","date_evidence":"all four defendants, Park included, are scheduled to learn their sentences on October 15 at 3 p.m.","date_original":"2026-10-15"}],"sources_used":[{"url":"https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/","name":"South Korean 'coin king' re-arrested for $47m crypto fraud — crypto.news","type":"news_article","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20251014111358/https://crypto.news/south-korean-coin-king-re-arrested-for-47m-crypto-fraud/","credibility":2,"archive_timestamp":"2025-10-14T11:13:58+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604593200","name":"South Korean \"Jonbur Kim\" Park, 'Coin King,' Re-Arrested for $47M Crypto Fraud After Bail Release — Bitget News","type":"news_article","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260914130706/https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604593200","credibility":2,"archive_timestamp":"2026-09-14T13:07:06+00:00"},{"url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/south-korea-jonbur-kim-park-coin-king-rearrested/","name":"South Korea's \"Jonbur Kim\" Park, 'Coin King,' Rearrested — cryptonews.com","type":"news_article","archive_url":null,"credibility":2,"archive_error":"error:no-request","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://www.coinspeaker.com/from-bail-to-bars-south-koreas-hodl-kim-faces-new-47m-crypto-charges/","name":"From Bail to Bars: South Korea's 'HODL Kim' Faces New $47M Crypto Charges — Coinspeaker","type":"news_article","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260512180627/https://www.coinspeaker.com/from-bail-to-bars-south-koreas-hodl-kim-faces-new-47m-crypto-charges/","credibility":2,"archive_timestamp":"2026-05-12T18:06:27+00:00"},{"url":"https://en.coinotag.com/korea-prosecutors-seek-20-years-pod-token-fraud-jonber-kim","name":"Prosecutors Seek 20 Years for \"Jonber Kim\" in 340 Billion Won POD Token Fraud — COINOTAG","type":"news_article","archive_url":null,"credibility":2,"archive_error":"error:no-request","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://bitcoinworld.co.in/crypto-scam-bail-denied/","name":"Crypto Scam: Shocking Bail Denial For 'Jonbur Kim' In $245M Fraud Case — BitcoinWorld","type":"news_article","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_error":"error:not-found","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://en.sedaily.com/society/2026/09/12/coin-fraud-ring-gets-heavy-sentences-for-913-billion-won","name":"Coin Fraud Ring Gets Heavy Sentences for 91.3 Billion Won Scheme — Seoul Economic Daily","type":"news_article","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260914130627/https://en.sedaily.com/society/2026/09/12/coin-fraud-ring-gets-heavy-sentences-for-913-billion-won","credibility":2,"archive_timestamp":"2026-09-14T13:06:27+00:00"}],"source_tags":[],"addresses":[],"reviewed":false,"reviewed_by":null,"model_used":"claude-code-investigator","created_at":"2026-09-14T12:28:41.059126+00:00","updated_at":"2026-09-14T15:58:21.035578+00:00"}}