Bang Si-Hyuk Arrested Amid Hybe Scandal

0:00South Korean police are moving to arrest Bon Si-hai, the billionaire chairman of Hybe, the powerhouse behind BTS. They're expanding a probe into claims he pocketed over $100 million through an investor scam back in 2019. Investigators say Bang tricked shareholders into dumping their Hybe stock, cheap by claiming no public listing was coming, then the company went public. Anyway, an aside deal of private fund allegedly kicked back about $136 million to him from post IPO profits. Bang's team says they've cooperated fully and regrets the arrest push. He denies any foul play and can't leave the country since August. This hits Hybe hard as a PR nightmare right when BTS is back. BTS just wrapped free comeback shows and so, and hit stages in Goyang and Tokyo, drawing massive crowds. They're gearing up for US stop starting in Tampa later this month after their military service break. Hybe's been building a K-pop empire since Bang founded it in 2005, with acts like 17 and

1:01less serifim. But internal drama lingers from last year's clash over New Jeans, now locked in contracts through 2029. The investigation rolls on as the tour builds steam. That's the story for today, Canada News Today, driven by AI.