New evidence has emerged about a South Korean civil servant's embezzlement of $342,000 (497.16 million Korean won) in public funds for personal crypto investments, including funds meant for flood recovery. The unnamed official, known as Person A, was sentenced to five years in prison in December 2024, but his case is now under review. His fraudulent activities occurred from November 2018 to May 2023 and were uncovered in a recent audit report. The civil servant used forged documents and unauthorized mayoral seals to open a city hall bank account, allowing him to divert public funds for crypto investments and to settle personal debts from poor investment choices. This included misappropriation of flood aid donations after severe flooding in July 2023 resulted in 49 deaths in South Korea. The investigation revealed systemic issues at Cheongju City Hall regarding oversight, as there were failures in verifying financial transactions and the security of official seals.

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