Comedian Lee Jin-ho appears before police over illegal online gambling

By KTimes

Comedian Lee Jin-ho, 38, who recently admitted to illegal online gambling, appeared before police Tuesday, eight days after being accused of habitual gambling and fraud.

The police summoned Lee as a suspect for questioning regarding his involvement in habitual illegal gambling through online platforms since 2020. Lee arrived at the police station at 1:55 p.m., dressed in a black T-shirt and pants.

Facing the media for the first time since the allegations surfaced, he said, “I’m sorry,” bowing his head. He remained silent when asked about the reasons for his involvement in gambling and fraud and entered the station, saying, “I will cooperate fully with the investigation. I’m sorry.”

On Oct. 14, Lee confessed through a lengthy social media post, revealing that he began gambling on illegal online sites in 2020, which led to unmanageable debt.

He expressed regret, stating that with the help of loved ones, he quit gambling but acknowledged that he still owed significant sums of money. “I am steadily repaying my debt every month and will continue to do so until I clear it all,” he said.

According to industry insiders, Lee borrowed over 1 billion won from fellow celebrities, including comedian Lee Soo-geun and BTS’ Jimin. Following the gambling scandal, Lee was removed from his role as an ambassador for Hwaseong City and stepped down from the popular variety show “Knowing Bros.”

The police have been investigating the case after receiving a complaint through the national petition system. In addition to gambling, they plan to question Lee regarding fraud allegations.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.