A sophisticated criminal organization known as ‘Chamgyoyukdan’ has been dismantled after being involved in a series of cybercrimes that targeted numerous individuals. The group, which operated through the messaging platform Telegram, used synthetic photos to lure victims into their trap. Once ensnared, the victims were coerced into submitting naked pledges, daily reports, and reflection letters. In addition, the group produced and distributed sexual abuse material, making it one of the most alarming cybercrime cases in recent years.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Cybercrime Investigation Team 3 announced on the 7th that they had arrested the mastermind behind the operation, a 21-year-old individual named A, and referred him for prosecution. The number of confirmed victims in this case has reached an alarming 342, highlighting the scale of the crime.
According to the police, A, along with accomplices B and C, who are 35 years old, posted advertisements on social networking sites (SNS) and Telegram from July 2020 to March 2021. These ads promised to “synthesize humiliating photos of acquaintances” to attract clients. Once they gained the trust of their targets, the group extorted money, body photographs, and naked pledges by threatening to expose their involvement to their acquaintances. Some of the victims were even recruited into the organization itself.
The structure of the group was highly organized, with roles such as general director, education commander, administrators, and a disciplinary system. Subordinate units like the ‘Investigation Bureau,’ ‘Intelligence Bureau,’ and ‘Administrative Bureau’ were established to divide responsibilities for identifying victims, collecting personal information, blackmailing, and producing and distributing sexual abuse material.
It was revealed that the group modeled and improved upon methods they had previously used while working as mid-level managers in various Telegram-based sexual exploitation channels, such as ‘Baksa Bang,’ ‘N-beon Bang,’ ‘Scarlet Letter,’ and ‘Digital Prison.’ After the ‘Baksa Bang·N-beon Bang’ case, the group formed a more structured organization. This led to the emergence of many derivative Telegram chat rooms that imitated the same methods, resulting in a chain reaction of crimes.
The organization was finally dismantled in August 2021 when the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency arrested 63 members. C, one of the key figures, received a prison sentence of 13 years and 6 months, which was confirmed in February 2023. The Seoul Police identified and arrested A during the investigation of related cases starting from November 2023, and they continue to track down B.
This arrest is part of the ‘Cyber Sexual Violence Intensive Crackdown’ initiated by the National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency, which ran from November 1, 2024, to October 31, 2025. As part of this initiative, the police also arrested a large number of offenders involved in cyber sexual violence. One suspect was found to have produced and sold 1,439 pieces of sexual abuse material while blackmailed 20 children and adolescents. Others were apprehended for producing sexual abuse materials, illegal photographs, and false videos.
Over the past year, the police have arrested 418 individuals and detained 28 for producing and distributing sexually exploitative materials, illegal photographs, and false (deepfake) videos. By type, there were 148 cases (35.4%) of child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials, 107 cases (25.6%) of illegal photographs, 99 cases (23.7%) of false videos, and 64 other cases (15.3%). The police noted that crimes linked to stalking and the production of false videos using AI bots are continuously increasing and vowed to respond with a zero-tolerance principle.
If you are a victim of digital sex crimes, you can immediately report to 112 or contact the Seoul Digital Sex Crime Support Center (02-815-0382) or the Central Digital Sex Crime Support Center (1366) to receive deletion, legal, and psychological support.