A well known celebrity has been swept up in allegations of overseas gambling in the United States totaling 5.4 billion KRW (approximately 3.82 million USD), with police reportedly securing related testimony as part of a preliminary review.
On January 29, TV Chosun reported that authorities obtained intelligence suggesting that celebrity A engaged in gambling activities in Las Vegas over several years. Police are said to be examining the facts in accordance with standard procedures.
According to the report, in June of last year, B, who serves as the chairman of an entertainment agency, allegedly shared a photographed Excel file during a KakaoTalk conversation with a company affiliate. The file reportedly included A’s English name alongside amounts listed in U.S. dollars, with B stating, “I paid it back on their behalf.”
The document is said to show a total of 3.82 million USD (approximately 5.4 billion KRW) recorded between August 2023 and January 2025. It also reportedly listed the names of two hotel casinos in Las Vegas, along with ML numbers, which refer to “Marker Loans,” a type of short-term credit extended to VIP casino customers.
TV Chosun added that electronic flight ticket records for A and B showed trips to Los Angeles and Las Vegas around the same periods when the alleged casino credit transactions took place. In response, B claimed, “The Excel file was just written based on a rough impression of how much OO seemed to have spent, and I simply passed the file along.”
A denied the allegations, stating, “I have visited Las Vegas in the United States for work, but I have never gambled,” and added, “The casino loan records presented as evidence are all false.” However, TV Chosun reported that although the celebrity strongly denied the claims, its reporters heard statements from acquaintances that they say support suspicions of overseas gambling. There were also allegations that advance payments for performances were used as gambling funds.
An audio recording obtained by the outlet reportedly includes B saying, “When I took over in 2022, I paid back 2 billion KRW (approximately 1.4 million USD). I found out after meeting the previous investor. The 2 billion KRW (1.4 million USD) was spent on gambling.”
B responded that although the debt was repaid on A’s behalf, he did not know at the time that it was allegedly related to gambling. A, meanwhile, explained that the debt stemmed from a planned album production that fell through and was unrelated to gambling. Authorities have not announced any formal charges, and the allegations remain under review.
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