"I will turn myself in for gambling abroad": Cheol-gu squandered 1 billion won in a week → Confesses to illegal loan sharks 'shocking' [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Internet streamer Cheol-gu (real name Lee Ye-joon) admitted directly to gambling abroad in the Philippines and using illegal loan sharks, stating his intention to turn himself in to the police.

On the early morning of the 28th, via a live broadcast on the internet streaming platform SOOP Live, Cheol-gu said, "I have been gambling abroad in the Philippines since the year before last. I will go to the police station at 8 a.m. today and turn myself in. It is true that I used illegal loan sharks. I am sorry."

He revealed that he spent more than 1 billion won on gambling over the course of one week. Cheol-gu explained, "As I became addicted to gambling and found myself in an unbearable situation, I borrowed money from a major backer known as a 'big hand' at a high interest rate of 10% per week. After borrowing the money, I repaid it with added interest the following week, rolling over the debt."

He continued, "Recently, my situation worsened further after being required to pay 6 billion won in value-added tax. To prevent account seizures, I also borrowed money from people around me."

Cheol-gu also revealed the names and amounts of fellow BJ streamers who lent him money. He said, "K borrowed 2.3 billion won, and I have repaid about 500 million to 6 billion won of that. Jjab-gu also lent me 2 billion won, and Kim In-ho helped as well."

He also mentioned delays in settling payments with performers on his currently running show, "Excel Broadcast." Cheol-gu stated that he was unable to pay revenue shares to female BJ streamers. "Through an introduction from a major backer, I signed a business agreement with a KOSDAQ-listed company and arranged to borrow 2 billion won interest-free for one year. The funds were supposed to arrive on the 24th, but they ultimately did not."

He further explained, "I tried to gather funds for settlement payments by running around for three days, but I could not secure any money. As performer settlements piled up, the situation became known externally, which led me to disclose my gambling abroad and use of illegal loan sharks."

Cheol-gu repeatedly apologized, saying, "It is all true that I gambled abroad illegally and used illegal loan sharks. I will turn myself in to the police and accept appropriate punishment. Even if I serve a prison sentence, I will repay my debts somehow."

Following Cheol-gu's confession, past remarks related to gambling addiction have also been re-examined. In a YouTube video released in 2017, he had previously undergone counseling with a gambling addiction therapist invited by his then-wife, BJ Oe-jil-hye (real name Jeon Ji-hye).

At that time, when asked about the amount of money lost to gambling, Cheol-gu answered honestly, "Honestly, 1 billion won." Later, during a sleep treatment process, when asked, "If people around you tell you not to gamble, can you just stop?" he replied, "I should. Gambling makes me feel at my peak."

Meanwhile, Cheol-gu is a former StarCraft professional gamer who began his career as an internet streamer after retiring in 2008. He married BJ Oe-jil-hye in 2016 and had a daughter, but they divorced in 2021.

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*This content was translated by AI.