Former K-pop singer jailed over prostitution, fraud scandal

Korea, (dawn.com), 13 August 2021 -   Former South Korean K-pop star known as Seungri was sentenced to three years in prison and fined nearly $1 million on Thursday after a court convicted him of crimes including procuring prostitutes for potential investors, local media reported.   

The trial of Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, is part of a far-reaching scandal involving a network of pop stars, businessmen and cops alleged to have colluded and enabled tax evasion, bribery, and prostitution at some of the glitziest clubs in Seoul’s swanky Gangnam district.  Lee, 30, a former member of hit group BIGBANG, was called up for mandatory military service shortly after his indictment, prompting his trial to be transferred to a military court.   The court found Lee guilty of nine charges, including embezzling funds from the nightclubs, overseas gambling, and procuring prostitutes for foreign investors in his business, Yonhap reported.