K-drama Star Hwang Jung-eum Sentenced in $3M Crypto Embezzlement Case

South Korean actress Hwang Jung-eum received a suspended prison sentence for embezzling $3 million from her own agency to invest in cryptocurrency. The Seoul Central District Court handed down a two-year sentence, suspended for four years, under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.

The funds, totaling 4.34 billion won ($3.1 million), were diverted in 2022. Court documents reveal 4.2 billion won flowed into digital asset investments, while the remainder covered property taxes and local levies. Hwang has since repaid the full amount after admitting to the charges.

Notably, the entertainment agency existed solely as Hwang's personal venture, with no other artists under management. Legal representatives argued the transactions reflected poor financial judgment rather than malicious intent.