Police request arrest warrant for Seungri on embezzlement, pimping

Seungri leaves Sophisticated Crime Investigation Unit under the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul's Jongno-gu, May 3, after being questioned for allegedly embezzling money from Burning Sun, a night club in Seoul's Gangnam district. Yonhap

Police said they requested an arrest warrant for former BIGBANG member Seungri Wednesday on charges that he embezzled money from a Seoul night club embroiled in drug and sex scandals and arranged sexual services for foreign investors.

Seungri, a 29-year-old whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, is accused of colluding with his business partner, Yoo In-suk, a former head of Yuri Holdings Co., to arrange prostitution services for Japanese investors in 2015.

Seungri and Yoo are also suspected of embezzling about 200 million won ($172,000) from Burning Sun, a club in southern Seoul where he worked as a public relations director, in July 2016.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) said it has requested warrants for pre-trial detention of Seungri and Yoo for violating the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts, etc. and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes.

"The two suspects appear to have jointly arranged sexual services and embezzlement, though details cannot be disclosed due to the ongoing investigation," an official at the SMPA said.

Police said they have confirmed Yoo solicited prostitutes when a group of seven Japanese businessmen visited Seoul in December 2015 and wired money to a broker. It has also been confirmed that some of the Japanese nationals bought sexual services in Seoul, police said, adding a total of 17 women have been booked on related prostitution charges.

Separately, police have also been investigating allegations of similar sexual services arranged by Seungri and Yoo at a Seoul nightclub named Arena in 2015 and at a birthday party for Seungri in the Philippines in 2017.

Police opened their probe after a group text conversation between Seungri and Yoo in 2015 indicated they were preparing a "special party" and girls for visiting Japanese guests.

Yoo reportedly admitted to parts of his charges but Seungri denied the charges against him, police said.

According to the SMPA, its investigators have grilled Seungri and Yoo over allegations that they embezzled 200 million won by having Burning Sun pay the money to Monkey Museum, another Seoul club co-founded by the two, to use its brand.

They are also accused of misappropriating Yuri Holdings' funds to pay the legal fees related to Monkey Museum. (Yonhap)

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