Police tracking down members of Telegram sex crime ring
SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- Police investigating an online sexual blackmail ring on Thursday were zeroing in on the members of Telegram chat rooms used to share sexually explicit video clips of dozens of women and girls.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it raided three cryptocurrency exchanges on March 13 to obtain the list of the users of the chat rooms operated by a 25-year-old man who was arrested last week. They paid the man, Cho Ju-bin, in cryptocurrency, to join the pay-to-view clubs, according to police.
Police have also secured related data from two cryptocurrency buying agents.
"We are analyzing data from the exchanges and agents," a police official said.
The chat rooms had about 260,000 users, including those who joined multiple groups, police said.
Police handed Cho over to the prosecution on Wednesday, taking the unusual steps of unveiling his personal information and having him publicly photographed.
At least 74 people, including 16 underage girls, are known to have been exploited in the case, widely known as the "Nth room case."
Cho is accused of convincing victims to take photos and later threatening them into performing more gruesome sex acts. Police have so far apprehended 126 people in relation to the case. Nineteen, including Cho, have been formally detained.

Cho Ju-bin speaks to reporters at a police station in Seoul on March 25, 2020, before being sent to prosecutors over allegations that he blackmailed dozens of victims to perform violent sex acts and sold the content in a mobile group chat room on the messaging service Telegram. (Yonhap)
(END)
-
(LEAD) N. Korea tests 'underwater nuclear attack drone,' cruise missiles for nuclear warhead: KCNA
-
Zebra escapes from Seoul zoo
-
(LEAD) Zebra captured some 3 hours after escaping from Seoul zoo
-
Ateez realizes importance of direct interactions with fans during world tours
-
N. Korea says it conducted new underwater nuke weapon test, strategic cruise missile drill: KCNA
-
Yoon puts S. Korea-Japan relations back on track
-
Japan's removal of export curbs on S. Korea to boost supply chain stability, ease biz uncertainties
-
Yoon's summit with Biden to highlight S. Korea's 'pivotal' role in region: U.S. experts
-
(News Focus) Solution to forced labor issue shows Yoon's commitment to improving ties with Japan
-
Seoul's controversial plan for forced labor compensation reflects urgency of security partnership with Tokyo: experts