Russian taekwondo champion sentenced to 5.5 years for fraud

Moscow, Russia – Emin Chetinbaga, the 2023 GTF Taekwondo World Champion, has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison by a Moscow court after being found guilty of large-scale fraud. Chetinbaga, who has maintained his innocence, was arrested in September of last year along with four other individuals, including former police officers, on charges of fraud and extortion.

According to Russian investigators, Chetinbaga allegedly exploited his knowledge of victims involved in cryptocurrency trading. He would invite them to meetings, then tip off his accomplices about the location. These accomplices, posing as police officers, would then extort the victims by threatening them with arrest and criminal charges, forcing them to transfer their digital assets.

The group reportedly managed to acquire four million rubles, approximately $50,000 USD, from their victims. One accomplice remains at large. The conviction adds a criminal chapter to the career of the taekwondo athlete, who achieved world champion status in 2023.