Former K-pop idol Seungri indicted on prostitution and gambling charges
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Former BIGBANG boyband member Seungri, real name Lee Seung-hyun, arrives at the High Court in Seoul on May 14, 2019. - The 28-year-old is linked to a police investigation into Burning Sun, a nightclub where he was a public relations director, where staff are alleged to have filmed women with hidden cameras and used alcohol and drugs to sexually assault them. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP) / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Ed JONES has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [28-year-old] instead of [29-year-old]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”

Entertainment |
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Former K-pop idol Seungri indicted on prostitution and gambling charges

The Independent
By The Independent
|
Seoul – Former Big Bang member Seungri has been indicted on prostitution, oversees gambling and other financial criminal charges, a year after allegations were made against him. On Fri (Jan 31), new developments were released about the ongoing drug and sex scandal investigation involving Seungri, who is also known as Lee Seung-Hyun. The youngest former member of one of Asia's best-selling boy bands in the world has been indicted on the charges that shook South Korea's entertainment industry last year. Two other singers were linked to the allegations which tarnished the clean image of the country's K-pop industry. Seungri has been accused of drugging women in clubs and offering them to wealthy potential investors. He was the part-owner and public relations liaison of a popular nightclub called Burning Sun in the Gangnam district. It has been reported that the nightclub incurred over US$1 million (S$1.36 million) in gambling losses amidst other drug and sex-related abuses. Soon after the victims stepped forward to testify, the K-pop idol retired from showbiz. In an Instagram post, he wrote: "I just cannot bear causing any further damage to people around me, while being hated and criticised by the public and being treated as a nation's enemy during the investigation." It is reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office indicted, without detention, Seungri on allegations of overseas gambling and acquiring prostitutes for investors.  The authorities are now a step closer to putting him on trial. K-pop stars Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon were among those linked to the case. In November 2019, they were jailed for six years and five years respectively for offences such as gang-rape. Singapore billionaire Peter Lim's daughter Kim Lim and Korean A-list actress Han Hyo-Joo have also been mentioned in reports on the scandal. Ms Lim has stated that she had merely visited the club, while Han has said that she has never set foot there. Both women have filed lawsuits against Seungri and Burning Sun. Han is also suing those who have spread false rumours connecting her to the club. /TISG Read related: K-pop star Seungri's sex trade scandal rocks showbiz industry

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