Police on Thursday questioned Yang Hyun-suk, former chief of YG Entertainment, over allegations of overseas gambling and solicitation of sex services for foreign investors.
Yang is suspected of gambling in hotel casinos in Las Vegas, and violating foreign exchange rules by borrowing US dollars in the US to gamble and paying it back in Korean won at home. Korea prohibits gambling by its nationals even in countries where it is legal.
Police grilled Seungri, a former member of boy band Big Bang, for 12 hours over overseas gambling charges Wednesday, before interrogating the founder of his former management agency.
(Yonhap)
Yang, dressed in a black suit, appeared at the Sophisticated Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday.
In response to reporters asking whether he admitted to the overseas gambling charges, Yang said he will “sincerely undergo police investigations.”
Yang and Seungri reportedly gambled nearly 1 billion won and 2 billion won, respectively, overseas.
Police are said to have US records on how much the two gambled in Las Vegas, and plan to look into whether Yang embezzled company money to gamble.
Yang allegedly arranged prostitution for foreign investors during a meeting in July 2014 at a high-end restaurant in Seoul.
He was questioned for nine hours on June 26 over the alleged soliciting of escort service, but he denied the allegation, claiming that while he was invited to the dinner, he was unaware of prostitution taking place.
Seungri admitted to the gambling charges, but denied allegations that he violated foreign exchange laws.
YG Entertainment has been at the center of drug and sex scandals as well as allegations of tax evasion after Burning Sun, a nightclub partly run by Seungri, was exposed as a hotbed of illegal drugs and prostitution last year.
By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)
