Lee Jin-ho, a comedian, admitted to illegal gambling and faced police questioning, expressing remorse and promising to repay debts.
October/23/2024 15:55
Comedian Lee Jin-ho, who admitted to illegal gambling, was questioned by the police. Yesterday (22nd) around 5 PM, he finished about 3 hours of questioning at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul. He did not answer questions from reporters such as, 'Did you admit to all the suspicions of habitual gambling?' 'Is it true that you borrowed money from people around you to fund gambling?' 'Do you have anything to say to colleagues who were harmed?' However, when asked, 'What did you state in the investigation?' he said, 'I received the investigation sincerely,' and added, 'If I have to appear again for questioning, I will also receive it sincerely.' When asked if he had anything to say to his fans, he apologized, saying, 'I am sorry for causing controversy again.' Photo = Channel A news screen capture. Lee Jin-ho arrived at the Gangnam Police Station around 1:55 PM that day. This was eight days after he was accused of habitual gambling and fraud. He bowed his head and said to reporters, 'I will sincerely receive the investigation' and 'I am sorry.' Previously, on the 14th, he confessed through his Instagram, 'In 2020, I accidentally started playing on an illegal gambling site and ended up with unmanageable debt.' He also said, 'After receiving harsh advice from acquaintances and fearing that I might not be able to continue this job I love, I later decided to quit gambling, but I had already received financial support from many people.' He promised, 'I will repay the debts that remain no matter what. I sincerely apologize to many who were disappointed by my attempts to hide this. I will sincerely receive the police investigation and pay the price for my mistakes. I am truly sorry.' It has been revealed that he borrowed money from acquaintances in the entertainment industry, including BTS's Jimin, singer Yong-tak, Wanna One's Ha Sung-woon, and comedian Lee Soo-geun. In particular, it was shocking to learn that he borrowed 100 million won (about 1 million USD) from Jimin. Lee Jin-ho's debts reportedly amount to 2.3 billion won (about 2.3 million USD). As a result, he was dismissed from his role as a public ambassador for Hwaseong City and was removed from the regular cast of JTBC's variety show 'Knowing Bros.' Additionally, recently released behind-the-scenes footage from Netflix's 'Comedy Revenge' was edited. Lee Jin-ho debuted as a comedian in 2005 through SBS's special recruitment and became known through programs like SBS's 'People Who Seek Laughter,' MBC's 'Hatanza,' and tvN's 'Comedy Big League.'
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