The door of the Optimus Asset Management office in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was closed on the morning of the 13th. (Photo by Yonhap News)
[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] The prosecution summoned a business partner suspected of conducting lobbying activities together with Shin, the former entertainment agency CEO known as a lobbyist for Optimus Asset Management (Optimus), in connection with the Optimus fund fraud case.
According to the legal community on the 20th, the Economic Crime Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jumin Cheol) recently summoned businessman Ki, who is suspected of acting as a lobbyist for Optimus alongside Shin, for questioning as a suspect.
Ki is suspected of using an office located in N Tower, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, provided by Kim Jaehyun (50, detained), the CEO of Optimus, together with Shin, and attempting to lobby political and government officials for Optimus's interest projects.
On the 16th, the prosecution conducted a search and seizure of the office along with the Korea Communications Agency Gyeongin Headquarters and Daishin Securities, securing visitor logs and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. It is also reported that Ki's mobile phone was seized and is being analyzed.
Last year, Ki and his business partner Shin undertook a project to build an off-track betting facility of the Korea Racing Authority and Geumsan Oncheon Family Park in Geumsan, Chungnam. The project was reportedly assigned to M Construction Company, led by Ki, while CEO Kim participated as an investor, planning to provide approximately 135 billion KRW in funding, but it was canceled due to opposition from the local council.
The prosecution is reportedly expanding its investigation to determine whether those identified as lobbyists successfully conducted lobbying with political and government officials in various projects related to Optimus.
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