Seoul: The Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's life sentence for the leader of a Telegram-based sex crime ring, who was accused of sexually exploiting 261 individuals. This case marks the largest number of victims recorded in a domestic sex crime case.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the top court also confirmed the lower court's directives for the leader, Kim Nok-wan, 34, which include wearing an electronic monitoring device for 30 years. Additionally, Kim is barred from employment at institutions serving children and adolescents, and his personal information will be publicly disclosed for a decade.

Kim Nok-wan was found guilty of orchestrating "The Vigilantes" crime ring from August 2020 to January 2025. He was involved in producing and distributing sexually exploitative videos, coercing victims into participating in illegal recordings, and sexually assaulting minors.

Members of The Vigilantes utilized blackmail tactics, compelling both men and women to submit nude photographs, which were then used to create and disseminate sexual exploitation materials.

The number of victims in this case is more than triple that of the infamous "Baksabang" case from 2019 to 2020. In that incident, Cho Joo-bin coerced 73 individuals into producing child and adolescent sexual exploitation content, which he sold online through encrypted Telegram chat rooms.