Gang Posed as Elon Musk Associates Arrested in $1.3M Crypto Romance Scheme

South Korean prosecutors have dismantled a Cambodia-based criminal organization that defrauded victims of approximately $1.3 million through romance scams falsely promising SpaceX investment opportunities.

According to a local report, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office announced on December 30 that 13 members of the syndicate face charges, including criminal organization operation and violations of the Telecommunications Fraud Victims Refund Act, with 11 arrested and two indicted without detention.

Operating from Poipet, Cambodia, the organization posed as wealthy young women on messaging platforms, claiming relatives worked alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk and offering access to lucrative SpaceX investments.

Between December 2024 and October 2025, they embezzled 1.93 billion won from victims by using a fabricated SpaceX mobile application designed to intercept investment funds, then converting the proceeds through local criminal networks into Korean won.

Sophisticated Deception Tactics Exploit Investment Appeal

The syndicate employed carefully scripted conversations to build trust with targets, gradually introducing investment opportunities tied to SpaceX’s market reputation.

Prosecutors discovered the group created a counterfeit SpaceX application that victims were instructed to install, creating the illusion of legitimate transactions while funds flowed directly to the criminal network.

“A relative works with Musk,” read prepared scripts used to establish credibility before soliciting investments.

Beyond the technical infrastructure, investigators uncovered evidence that the organization anticipated law enforcement scrutiny.

Members prepared false testimonies claiming they were victims of job scams who were taken to Cambodia under false pretenses and forced into criminal activity through confinement and threats.

Conversation transcripts between members and their recruiters revealed a clear awareness that they were committing crimes and intentional efforts to evade accountability.

The joint investigation involving prosecutors, police, and the Korea Immigration Service identified 20 Korean nationals within the organization over the course of eight months.

Authorities initially arrested three counselors and one manager between July and September, subsequently apprehending additional recruiters and interpreters.

Seven members remain unaccounted for as investigators continue tracking suspects.

Romance Scams Represent Growing Threat Across Cryptocurrency Markets

This case exemplifies the expanding epidemic of romance scams plaguing cryptocurrency investors globally.

In July, a Korean man in his 50s lost over $73,000 after 46 days of daily conversations with a woman claiming to be Japanese, who convinced him to invest in her recommended cryptocurrency exchange.

The victim’s initial hesitation dissolved as fabricated profits and successful withdrawals built false confidence, ultimately leading him to invest 105 million won before the scammer vanished after demanding additional payments for supposed tax obligations.

Crypto-related romance scams, particularly “pig butchering” schemes that combine emotional manipulation with investment fraud, drained an estimated $5.5 billion from victims across approximately 200,000 cases in 2024.

These operations increasingly leverage artificial intelligence tools to generate convincing fake identities, with scammers creating deepfake images and videos to sustain deception over extended periods.

U.S. authorities seized more than $225 million in crypto tied to such operations in June, while Australian regulators shut down 95 companies linked to pig butchering schemes in April, processing claims exceeding $35.8 million from victims across 14 countries.

South Korea’s crypto market, which Chainalysis estimates reached approximately $130 billion in value last year, faces persistent fraud threats despite widespread adoption.

In May, Jeju police arrested 25 individuals connected to four criminal organizations that defrauded 48 victims of nearly $540,000 through fake crypto exchanges between June 2023 and April 2025.

Back in March, prosecutors also arrested prominent crypto figure Park “Jonbur Kim” on separate fraud charges involving the Artube token, which allegedly caused $179.6 million in investor losses.

Expert Guidance: How to Defend Yourself

Security experts emphasize that defending against romance scams requires treating user awareness as core infrastructure.

“As code becomes less exploitable, the main attack surface in 2026 will be people,” Mitchell Amador, CEO of Immunefi, told Crytponews.

In another interview with Cryptonews, Navin Gupta, CEO of blockchain analytics platform Crystal, explained the psychological manipulation driving modern fraud schemes.

“Scammers impersonate figures of perceived authority, such as project founders, influencers, or even support staff, to create an illusion of legitimacy. They exploit FOMO by creating time pressure—you’ll miss your chance if you don’t act now.“

Gupta recommended specific defensive measures against social engineering, against all attacks.

“Assume every unsolicited message is a potential attack. That mental shift alone filters out 80% of threat vectors,” he advised.

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