South Korean actress faces embezzlement charges over crypto investments

South Korean actress Hwang Jung-eum, charged without detention, is accused of embezzling roughly 4.34 billion won ($3.1 million) from an entertainment agency she effectively owns, allegedly using the funds for cryptocurrency investments, according to News1. The Jeju District Court held the first trial on May 15. The indictment alleges that between early 2022 and December 2022, Hwang embezzled company funds, including 700 million won ($500,000) she received as a provisional payment from loans the agency had obtained. Of the total embezzled amount, about 4.2 billion won ($3 million) was reportedly used to invest in crypto. Hwang’s legal team acknowledged the charges during the trial.