[South Korean Lawyer Convicted for Misappropriating Police Settlement Funds to Invest in Cryptocurrency] Odaily Planet Daily News – A lawyer in his 40s, who had a cooperation agreement with the Chungcheongbuk-do Police Agency and had long represented police officers in damage compensation lawsuits, was convicted by the court for misappropriating settlement funds and using them for virtual currency investments. On January 24, a single criminal judge at the Cheongju District Court ruled that the lawyer, while representing three police officers in a civil compensation case against individuals suspected of obstructing official duties, privately withheld 6 million won in settlement funds paid by the opposing party after the case was mediated and concluded by the court in April 2021. He deposited the funds into his personal account for cryptocurrency investments, constituting the crime of embezzlement in the course of business. The court sentenced him to a fine of 10 million won. The court noted that the defendant, as a lawyer, misappropriated the property of his clients, which is a serious offense. However, considering that he had confessed to the crime, expressed remorse, and had no prior criminal record, the court made the above sentencing decision.