Five arrested in Busan for obtaining nudes, blackmailing victims in sextortion scheme

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Five arrested in Busan for obtaining nudes, blackmailing victims in sextortion scheme

Published: 29 Jan. 2026, 16:37

Police logo [YONHAP]

Police arrested five suspects accused of running sextortion scams, in which victims are lured into sending nude photos and then blackmailed with threats to distribute the images, authorities said Thursday.

The Saha Police Precinct in Busan said it arrested and detained five suspects on suspicion of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, including coercion using recorded images.

The suspects approached 20 men on messenger apps between May 2023 and August 2024 while posing as women, according to police. The phishing ring obtained nude photos and then threatened to share the images with victims’ family members and acquaintances. The group is accused of extorting about 90 million won ($63,000) in total.

Police said the suspects operated in an organized manner, dividing roles and primarily targeting men in their early to mid-20s.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]