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After receiving a 15-year sentence final week, Terraform Labs’ co-founder and former CEO, Do Kwon, might face one other main sentence in a possible second trial if extradited to his house nation, South Korea.
Terra’s Do Kwon Could Face Second Trial
On Monday, South Korean information media retailers affirmed that the authorized troubles of Terraform Labs’ co-founder, Kwon Do-hyung, also referred to as Do Kwon, might not be over, regardless of not too long ago being sentenced to over a decade in jail within the US.
Based on a report by The Korea Instances, authorities officers and prosecutors acknowledged that the crypto entrepreneur might face a second trial and a serious jail sentence in South Korea if he’s extradited sooner or later.
On December 11, Kwon acquired a 15-year sentence for his involvement within the $40 billion collapse of TerraUSD (UST) stablecoin in 2022. Notably, he first pleaded not responsible in January to a nine-count indictment that charged him with securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud, and conspiracy to commit cash laundering.
Nevertheless, he modified his stance in August, pleading responsible to conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud and apologizing for his actions. As reported by Bitcoinist, the Terra founder beforehand requested a most five-year sentence on the finish of November, arguing that he had “suffered considerably for his crimes,” and that something longer than that was “far better than essential to realize justice.”
In the meantime, prosecutors had requested a 12-year sentence for Terraform Labs co-founder’s fraudulent actions earlier this month. US District Decide Paul Engelmayer highlighted the severity of his case final Thursday, emphasizing that the given sentence was “the least” he might impose.
5 years can be so implausible it could require appellate reversal. Others have to be deterred. Individuals are watching this [live]. There will probably be future entrepreneurs. This case will function a reminder of breaking dangerous and what occurs.
South Korean Verdict May Double US Sentence
The Korean Instances famous that it’s broadly anticipated that the Korean nationwide might apply to the Worldwide Prisoner Switch Program after serving half of his 15-year sentence, as US prosecutors agreed to not oppose such a request as a part of the August plea deal.
This opens the potential for Kwon’s extradition to his house nation and a separate trial on a number of expenses associated to violations of the Capital Markets Act, which might end in extra punishment.
With an estimated over 200,000 victims in South Korea, greater than $204 million in whole losses, and ten alleged accomplices already on trial within the nation, authorities affirmed that “Prosecuting Kwon domestically would greatest serve efforts to compensate native victims.”
“A responsible verdict in Korea might result in a sentence of greater than 30 years,” a senior prosecutor reportedly acknowledged on Monday.
Because the report famous, the monetary crime unit of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Workplace obtained an arrest warrant for Kwon in September 2022. In March 2023, Montenegrin authorities detained him together with Terraform Lab’s former finance officer, Han Chang-joon, for making an attempt to journey with pretend paperwork.
Notably, the crypto entrepreneur was beneath Montenegro’s custody for over a yr and a half and confronted a four-month sentence, later receiving an additional two months on the request of the US and South Korea, which sought to deliver him to justice in each jurisdictions.
The 2 international locations began an prolonged battle to deliver Kwon to trial, with Montenegrin authorities initially approving South Korea’s extradition request. Nevertheless, he was extradited to the US on December 31, 2024, after Montenegro’s inside ministry signed the request, delaying trial in his house nation.
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