Kim Nok-wan, 33, the leader of a Telegram-based sex crime organization known as "Vigilantes," has been sentenced to life imprisonment in South Korea.
Case Overview
The Vigilantes group operated a pyramid-style scheme that involved blackmailing individuals into producing explicit content, which was then shared in online chatrooms. The criminal activities occurred between May 2020 and January 2025, resulting in the exploitation of at least 261 individuals. This case represents the largest cybersex exploitation incident recorded in South Korean history.
Convictions and Sentencing
Operating under the self-designated title of "pastor," Kim Nok-wan was found guilty of systematic crimes, including the sexual assault of minors and the distribution of images depicting child sex abuse.
On Monday, Kim received his sentence after being convicted of:
- Organizing and operating a criminal organization
- Producing and distributing sexually exploitative and illegally filmed material
- Forcing the use of illegally filmed material
- Quasi-rape (sexual assault of victims unable to resist)
The court stated, "[Kim Nok-wan] says in court that he is remorseful, but he committed countless crimes over the past four to five years. Considering the brutality of the crimes and the lack of restitution for victims, it is necessary to permanently isolate him from society."
Operational Methods
Police investigations indicated that Kim recruited targets, both male and female, through social networking platforms. He would then direct them to the instant-messaging service Telegram. Once on Telegram, Kim employed blackmail tactics, threatening to disclose personal information or report victims to authorities.
Some victims were subsequently integrated into the Vigilantes' organizational structure, assigned roles such as "evangelist" and "deacon," with the mandate to recruit additional victims into the scheme.