Author

Tim Alper

Author

Tim Alper

About Author

Tim Alper is a British journalist and features writer who has worked at Cryptonews.com since 2018. He has written for media outlets such as the BBC, the Guardian, and Chosun Ilbo. He has also worked…

Share

Last updated: 

July 30, 2025

South Korean prosecutors probing the former President Yoon Suk-yeol and the former First Lady Kim Keon-hee have interrogated the suspected crypto fraudster Jon Bur Kim (real surname Park).

Park, a crypto market maker and luxury sports car collector, has been indicted for crypto fraud. Prosecutors think he issued and manipulated two so-called “scam coins,” and manipulated their prices by issuing fake news about the tokens.

However, prosecutors earlier this month established a possible link between Park’s case and that of the former First Lady.

Kim Keon-hee is accused of peddling influence, stock manipulation, and other corruption-related charges.

Former President Yoon: Arrest Warrant Incoming?

Prosecutors are investigating Kim Keon-hee along with Yoon, who failed in a bid to declare martial law in South Korea in early December last year.

The former President was later impeached. He has since been charged with various corruption-related offences.

But Former President Yoon has twice refused to respond to court summons requests. This has led prosecution officials to consider requesting an arrest warrant.

Yonhap reported that the probe has also expanded to Yoon and Kim’s associates. The South Korean news agency wrote that the special prosecution team is believed to be investigating the former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min.

Prosecutors believe Kim Sang-min may have “received illicit money” from the chief suspect in a crypto fraud case.

Media outlets assume that this is Park, who is accused of embezzling 80.9 billion won ($58.1 million) worth of investors’ money.

Prosecutors think that Park gave Kim Sang-min money to pay for motor vehicle rental fees. Kim Sang-min then allegedly used this money to pay for the vehicles as he attempted to win the People Power Party nomination for the Changwon Uichang district seat ahead of the April 10 legislative election last year.

Kim Sang-min was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid, and was eliminated during the primaries. But prosecution officials appear to think that Kim Keon-hee used her influence to help him run.

Rug Pull Suspect Summoned

The latest development appears to confirm reports from earlier this month. These claimed that the special prosecution team had asked to see the Park/scam coin case files.

Prosecutors think that Park and a CEO surnamed Moon stole hundreds of billions of won. They think the duo issued and listed a suspected scam coin named Atube in 2021.

They have also accused Park of masterminding a rug pull scam for a token named Podo Coin, also in 2021.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is taking action against a former bank employee who allegedly sold check images that resulted in a six-figure loss for the lender.

The OCC says it’s issuing an order of prohibition against Cricel Santamaria, a former client service representative at Webster Bank in Stamford, Connecticut.

Says the OCC,

“From approximately April 2019 until May 23, 2022, the respondent was employed at the bank. Between approximately October 2021 and April 2022, the respondent obtained approximately 62 check images from the bank’s internal systems and made them available for sale over the internet.

Thirteen bank customers reported fraud on their accounts shortly after their checks were made available for sale on the internet. The total fraud reported was $237,374 and the total Bank loss was approximately $108,000.”

According to the OCC, Santamaria “engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, caused more than a minimal loss to the bank, demonstrated personal dishonesty and willful or continuing disregard for the safety and soundness of the bank.”

The OCC order prohibits the ex-banker from working in the banking and financial services industry.

Santamaria consents to the OCC order without admitting or denying any wrongdoing. Under the order, the Department of Justice (DOJ) retains its right to “bring other actions deemed appropriate” against Santamaria.

The Webster Bank, a commercial bank based in Stamford, Connecticut, has more than $70 billion in assets under management.

Follow us on X, Facebook and Telegram

Don’t Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox

Check Price Action

Surf The Daily Hodl Mix

&nbsp

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

Generated Image: Midjourney

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has exposed the trader behind a series of high-risk trades on Hyperliquid, linking the activity to a UK-based individual with a history of financial crimes.

ZachXBT revealed on March 20 that the trader is allegedly William Parker, a UK citizen previously convicted of financial crimes in Finland and the UK.

Parker gained market attention after executing aggressive leveraged trades on Hyperliquid between January and March. The crypto whale claimed these trades had secured nearly $20 million in profits.

However, ZachXBT publicly accused the trader—who operates under the X handle @qwatio and the alias MELANIA—of engaging in cybercriminal activities. By the next day, Parker responded on X, denying the accusations and refuting claims that he funded his trades with stolen assets.

According to Parker:

“[ZachXBT] is wrong here. Interested to donate but by his logic he would be labelled a scammer if we do. Big problem – ability to taint an address by dusting.”

Digital trail exposes illicit links

In a detailed social media post, ZachXBT’s investigation traced Parker’s blockchain activity across significant platforms like Binance, Roobet, and Alphapo.

His analysis also suggested Parker’s X account was likely purchased, given its recent name change, prolonged inactivity, and age.

Further scrutiny revealed deeper ties to fraudulent activities. One of Parker’s followed accounts, CryptxxCatalyst, was linked to phishing scams.

The crypto investigator pointed out that blockchain records showed that in January 2025, he manipulated a casino game and targeted phishing victims.

A wallet associated with him received funds from these scams, including a $17,100 transaction. That same address was flagged as a drainer fee receiver in another exploit.

His gambling habits provided more clues. Withdrawals from four Solana-based casinos were traced to his Telegram details, helping the investigator confirm his identity.

ZachXBT also tracked a recent transaction from wallet 0xe4d3 linked to a UK phone number publicly registered under William Parker.

According to ZachXBT, Parker’s criminal history dates back over a decade. In 2023, Finnish authorities convicted him of stealing $1 million from two casinos.

Before that, he was known as Alistair Packover, later changing his name to William Peckover. In the early 2010s, he made headlines in the UK for fraud charges tied to hacking and gambling.

ZachXBT concluded:

“It is abundantly clear WP/AP has not learned his lesson over the years after serving time for fraud and will likely continue gambling.”

According to Arkham Intelligence data, a wallet associated with Parker currently holds over $23 million in digital assets.

Mentioned in this article