YouTuber Who Planned to Build an 'Islamic Temple' in Incheon... Now Accused of Illegal Fundraising and Embezzlement

Complaint filed with police on the 8th... "Illegal fundraising and embezzlement"
No legal procedures such as fundraising and usage plans
Korea Islamic Federation also states "Personal fundraising not allowed"

A Muslim YouTuber who was at the center of controversy after declaring plans to build an Islamic mosque in Incheon, only for the project to be canceled, has now been reported to the police on charges of illegal fundraising and embezzlement.

According to the Mapo Police Station in Seoul on the 12th, a complaint was filed on the 8th against YouTuber ‘Daud Kim,’ who raised funds under the pretext of building an Islamic mosque. He is suspected of collecting donations into a personal account without following legal procedures.

The appearance of an Islamic mosque in Jordan. The photo is not directly related to the article content. [Image source=Pixabay]

Earlier, on the 13th of last month, Daud Kim posted on his social network service (SNS), “With your help, we have signed a land contract for the construction of an Islamic mosque in Incheon,” adding, “We plan to build a prayer place for missionary work and an Islamic podcast studio.” He also attached a photo of the land sale contract showing the purchase of land in Unbuk-dong, Yeongjongdo, Jung-gu, Incheon (284.4㎡) for 189.2 million KRW, with a down payment of 20 million KRW paid.

When this became known, local residents strongly opposed it, citing that schools are concentrated within about 1 km of the site. Daud Kim explained in a media interview, “Islam is a religion of peace, and since the site is in a remote area, it will not cause significant harm to the residents.”

However, the controversy grew further when his past involvement in a sexual crime was revealed. It is known that Daud Kim was sent to the prosecution in 2019 on charges of attempting to sexually assault a foreign woman, but reached a settlement with the victim and received a suspended indictment.

The local district office, Jung-gu in Incheon, which has jurisdiction, also stated that “it is difficult to build an Islamic mosque on the site due to its designated land use.” They explained that during the development permit review, the surrounding environment is considered, and the road conditions near this site are not favorable, making it difficult to obtain permission for a religious assembly hall. They also added that Daud Kim has not yet applied for a building permit.

As the controversy continued, the land seller requested Daud Kim to cancel the contract, and both parties agreed to terminate the contract without refunding the deposit after negotiations.

Statement from the Korea Central Mosque Association regarding Dawood Kim's illegal fundraising allegations [Image source=Captured from the Korea Central Mosque Association Facebook]

Then, an illegal fundraising controversy arose. According to the Donation Act, if donations exceeding 10 million KRW are collected, a fundraising and usage plan must be registered with the local government. However, Daud Kim is reported not to have submitted this. The donations Daud Kim received under the pretext of building the mosque are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of KRW. Some Muslims protested, saying, “Was he really planning to build a mosque? Or did he exploit our faith to make money?”

The Korea Central Mosque Association also issued a notice stating, “Daud Kim’s fundraising is a personal activity unrelated to our organization.” The association clarified, “All Islamic members affiliated with the central association are registered under the organization’s name, and no one is allowed to collect donations in their personal name.”