Kim Keon-hee's 'butler gate' key figure, Ms. Kim Ye-sung, has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team of Min Jung-ki, indicating that the so-called 'butler gate' investigation is expected to accelerate.

Mr. Kim Ye-seong, known as the housekeeper for Kim Keon-hee's family, attends the pre-arrest suspect examination held at the Seo-Woong Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. /Courtesy of News1

On the 15th, Judge Im Jeong-bin of the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Kim, who is facing charges of embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, acknowledging the risks of evidence destruction and escape.

According to the special prosecutor, Mr. Kim is accused of embezzling 3.38 billion won from the rental car company IMS Mobility, in which he participated in its establishment and holds equity. IMS Mobility received an investment of 18.4 billion won from Kakao Mobility and Shinhan Bank in 2023, of which 4.6 billion won was used for the purchase of existing shares transferred from Mr. Kim by the venture company Innovest Korea.

As the only inside director of Innovest Korea has been identified as Mr. Kim's spouse, Ms. Jeong, suspicions have arisen that the company is owned in Mr. Kim's name. The special prosecutor is reporting that 2.43 billion won of the 4.6 billion won was embezzled by lending it to Jo Young-tak, the CEO of IMS Mobility.

Additionally, it was specified in the arrest warrant that IMS Mobility engaged in a false service contract with Innovest Korea, paying service fees in the tens of millions of won or appointing Mr. Kim's spouse as an employee of multiple corporations to disburse false salaries.

However, the illegality of the 18.4 billion won investment, a core suspicion of 'butler gate', was not directly included in this arrest warrant. The special prosecutor is focusing on the possibility that the friendship between Mr. Kim and Ms. Kim played a role in the background of IMS Mobility receiving investments while being in a capital impairment state, with liabilities (1.414 trillion won) exceeding net worth (56.6 billion won).

The special prosecutor plans to further investigate whether the funds embezzled by Mr. Kim flowed to Ms. Kim's family.

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