Police to Summon Influencer Wife of Wealthy Suspect over Fraud Allegations as Investigation Reopened into Case Cover-Up

Yonhap News Agency

The police have reopened an investigation into a high-profile influencer case that was previously suspected of being covered up.

According to Yonhap News Agency on April 16, the Investigation Division 2 of the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul plans to summon Influencer A as a suspect on fraud charges for questioning on April 29.

Influencer A, who gained public attention as a model for a Pilates academy franchise, was sued by franchise owners in July 2024 for alleged fraud and violations of the Fair Franchise Transactions Act. However, in December of the same year, Investigation Division 1 of the Gangnam Police Station concluded there was "no evidence of guilt" and decided not to refer the case for prosecution.

Meanwhile, Investigation Division 2 had also received complaints from franchise owners but suspended its investigation in October last year after failing to locate another suspect. Earlier this year, the location of the individual was identified, leading to the resumption of the investigation. The police are known to have summoned related parties for questioning in sequence.

Influencer A is the spouse of Mr. Lee, a wealthy individual currently under investigation for stock price manipulation. Mr. Lee is also suspected of having requested Inspector B, who was the team leader of Investigation Division 1 at Gangnam Police Station, and Superintendent C from the National Police Agency to help quash his wife's investigation.

The Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Shin Donghwan, uncovered evidence of such requests while probing Mr. Lee's stock manipulation case. Late last month and earlier this month, prosecutors expanded their investigation by conducting searches and seizures at both Gangnam Police Station and the National Police Agency.

The prosecution suspects that Mr. Lee, who was on friendly terms with Superintendent C, was introduced to Inspector B and subsequently provided entertainment and bribes at a room salon. They are also investigating whether Inspector B may have leaked investigative information, such as details of warrant applications related to Influencer A's case, to outside parties.

Currently, Inspector B has been demoted to a team member and relieved of his duties, while Superintendent C is reportedly under internal investigation. The police stated that they became aware of these suspicions after the searches and are reviewing relevant materials to verify the facts, independently of the prosecution's investigation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.