Former soccer player Lee Cheon-su, who has been suffering amid fraud allegations, is also entangled in controversies including alleged violations of the Political Funds Act and accusations of offloading Queen B Coin. Lee himself has not yet issued an official statement, so premature judgment should be avoided.
On the 26th, Dispatch reported that although Lee is not a direct party to the alleged Political Funds Act violations or the Queen B Coin controversy, he is connected to various social issues such as political, economic, entertainment and investment fraud cases.
According to the report, in 2022 Lee gave decisive testimony in the alleged Political Funds Act violation involving Rep. Yoon Han-hong. In the investigation surrounding the so-called "Geonjin" Jeon Seong-bae, who is accused of receiving 100 million won in nomination bribes, Lee testified that he witnessed and listened to the scene of a shopping bag being handed over and related phone calls. He said, "I saw Rep. Yoon Han-hong's name appear on Jeon Seong-bae's cellphone," but added that he could not confirm whether anything was actually handed over.
Lee is also known to have been linked to the 2020 Queen B Coin price surge and crash. According to the report, at the time Lee received 2.75 million won per month from Queen B Company as a consultant. The coin was a project that included actor Bae Yong-joon and Professor Kim Ki-young of Sookmyung Women's University in name only, but it was criticized as a business without substance, and the foundation reportedly transferred the coins to offloading dealers for about 4 billion won to exit. The reported losses from the price rigging process amounted to about 15 billion won.
Lee was also spotted at the Giacometti special exhibition hosted by Covana Contents in 2018. The event became subject to a special prosecutor's investigation into corporate sponsorship tied to Kim Keon-hee, and at the time Lee visited the exhibition with entertainers including comedian Park Hwi-soon and singer Kim Yong-jun and took commemorative photos.
The names of Lee and his wife also appeared in the bankruptcy case of the birthcare center "Donggeurami." The center entered corporate rehabilitation proceedings in 2021, but prior to that Lee's spouse reportedly received salary from the center, and there are signs that a corporate vehicle and corporate card were provided. The representative said, "We employed them after they appealed for help, citing difficulties such as tax arrears."
Lee was recently embroiled in controversy over fraud charges. From November 2018 to April 2021, Lee reportedly borrowed 130 million won from Mr. A over nine occasions as living expenses and failed to repay it. Mr. A claimed that Lee had promised to repay the borrowed money by 2023 but lost contact starting in the fall of 2021, and that Lee introduced an acquaintance who guaranteed returns and urged investment, resulting in a transfer of 500 million won, but only part of the investment was returned and the investor did not properly receive the revenue.
Lee's side later said, "This case arose from a misunderstanding by complainant Mr. A, and Lee and Mr. A reached an amicable agreement. Upon reconfirming the facts, we found that the complainant had misrecognized some details, and acknowledged that Lee had no intent to defraud or deceive. Accordingly, Mr. A no longer wishes for investigation or punishment and has officially withdrawn the complaint." After the clarification, Lee's wife Shim Ha-eun posted wedding photos and expressed trust in Lee, saying, "Just do well."
Meanwhile, attempts were made to contact Lee's side to confirm the facts of these reports, but they could not be reached. Because his name has been raised in socially controversial issues shortly after he addressed the fraud charges, Lee's clarification appears necessary.
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