Comedian Lee Jin-ho Faces Police Investigation for Illegal Gambling, Potential Exit from 'Knowing Bros'
Comedian Lee Jin-ho Faces Police Investigation for Illegal Gambling, Potential Exit from 'Knowing Bros'
Comedian Lee Jin-ho has confessed to being under police investigation for illegal online gambling, leading to discussions about his potential departure from the popular JTBC variety show 'Knowing Bros'. Lee has been a regular cast member since the 304th episode aired on October 30, 2021.

On the 14th, a representative from 'Knowing Bros' stated that they are "currently verifying" the situation regarding Lee Jin-ho's self-reported illegal gambling activities and his potential exit from the show. They added, "We are making every effort to release a statement by today."

Lee was also scheduled to appear in the Netflix show 'Comedy Revenge' alongside Lee Kyung-kyu, Moon Se-yoon, Park Na-rae, Lee Yong-jin, and Hwang Je-sung, which is set to be released on the 15th. However, he informed the production team in advance that he would not attend the press conference scheduled for the morning of the 14th.
Comedian Lee Jin-ho Faces Police Investigation for Illegal Gambling, Potential Exit from 'Knowing Bros'
Comedian Lee Jin-ho Faces Police Investigation for Illegal Gambling, Potential Exit from 'Knowing Bros'
According to our investigation, Lee Jin-ho admitted in a phone conversation with a representative from the victim artist's agency that the reasons he gave for borrowing money were false. He had borrowed money from several celebrities and then avoided contact with them. The victims, unaware of similar cases, later discovered the issue and reported significant mental distress.

When asked about the financial damage to celebrities due to Lee Jin-ho's illegal gambling, his agency, SM C&C, quickly released a statement in an attempt to avoid legal repercussions and garner public sympathy. In the statement, Lee claimed he had "managed to quit gambling." However, it was confirmed that he continued to borrow money from acquaintances as recently as August, reportedly struggling with debts from gambling.

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr