According to the entertainment industry on the 12th, the Gwangmyeong Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that Areum was sent to the prosecution without detention at the end of last month on charges of fraud.
Areum is accused of borrowing approximately 37 million won from three acquaintances, including her fans, and failing to repay the money.
The victims claimed, “Areum borrowed money citing personal reasons involving her boyfriend but has not repaid it to this day,” and filed complaints with the police from March to May.
The police, who began the investigation, found that Areum’s ex-boyfriend, Mr. A, also extorted some of the money from the victims and handed him over to the prosecution as well. During the police investigation, Areum largely admitted to the charges, but Mr. A denied them.
Areum joined the girl group T-ara in 2012 but left the team the following year in 2013.
In December of last year, she made headlines in the entertainment industry by announcing her divorce and remarriage at the same time. However, she later faced accusations of defrauding over 40 million won with her then-boyfriend Mr. A, which she explained as a result of being hacked. She also claimed to be pregnant with her boyfriend’s child but recently announced their breakup.
