[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Cha Gawon, chairman of ONE HUNDRED, who is facing the possibility of arrest over allegations of fraud involving more than 30 billion won, has claimed that his human rights were violated.
Cha is expected to file a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) on the 16th. His side argues that the team leader and investigators violated his human rights during the investigation. Cha's representatives said, "It is regrettable that an arrest warrant was requested even though illegality was confirmed during the search and seizure process, leading to a quasi-appeal. We have refuted all allegations raised during the police investigation. We question whether the police properly understand the law and the facts."
The Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently requested an arrest warrant for Cha from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges including fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes. The prosecution is reviewing whether to seek the warrant.
Cha is accused of proposing a business project using the intellectual property rights of artists under ONE HUNDRED to Nomus, signing a contract, receiving an advance payment of 24.2 billion won, and then failing to carry out the project.
Police believe Cha concealed the fact that a contract he had already signed with another company was not due to expire anytime soon, then entered into a double contract with Nomus and was not in a position to carry out the business.
Separately, Cha is also accused of agreeing with an acquaintance to lease each other's homes on a jeonse basis, receiving a 5.4 billion won deposit, and then failing to honor his own part of the deal.
In April, police searched Big Planet Made Entertainment, a subsidiary of ONE HUNDRED, and last month they summoned Cha twice for questioning as a suspect. Cha has denied all allegations, saying the various suspicions surrounding ONE HUNDRED were raised during a hostile takeover attempt.
Cha founded ONE HUNDRED with MC Mong in 2023. However, after MC Mong left the company in June last year, artists under the label, including Lee Mu-jin, Taemin of SHINee, The Boyz, VIVIZ, BEO and Lee Seung-gi, successively notified the company that they were terminating their exclusive contracts over unpaid settlements.
Baek Ji-eun, reporter silk781220@sportschosun.com
