Seoul Police Misplace $1.45M in Bitcoin
The post Seoul Police Misplace $1.45M in Bitcoin appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
Seoul Gangnam Police lost 22 BTC worth $1.45M during a 2026 digital asset custody audit. The 22 seized BTC were drained remotely while the USB cold wallet remained in police custody. South Korea reported two custody breaches in 2026, including a separate 320 BTC loss in Gwangju. South Korean authorities have confirmed the loss of 22 Bitcoin valued at about $1.45 million from seized assets held by the Seoul Gangnam Police Station. The funds were kept as evidence in a suspended 2021 investigation. The loss was discovered during a nationwide audit of digital asset custody practices conducted in early 2026. Audit Reveals Missing Bitcoin From Police Custody The missing 22 BTC were identified during a broad inspection of virtual asset management across law enforcement agencies. Officials said the discovery was made on February 13, 2026. The assets were worth around 2.1 billion won at the time of confirmation. 🚨DISASTER: SOUTH KOREAN POLICE LOSE $1.5M IN SEIZED BITCOIN Seoul’s Gangnam Police reportedly lost 22 $BTC (~$1.5M) from confiscated crypto, without the cold wallet ever being physically stolen. The incident involves the Seoul Gangnam Police Station and funds seized in a 2021… pic.twitter.com/dbawgLpSa9 — BSCN (@BSCNews) February 13, 2026 The Bitcoin had been stored on a USB cold wallet kept in police custody. Authorities stated that the physical device had not been stolen or tampered with externally. However, the digital assets linked to the wallet had been transferred to an external address. The related criminal investigation from 2021 had been suspended. As a result, the wallet remained unmonitored for more than four years. The funds were originally surrendered voluntarily to investigators in November 2021. Internal Probe Examines Cause of Breach The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency is leading an internal investigation into the incident. Officials are examining whether the loss resulted from…
Filed under: News - @ February 14, 2026 4:18 am