From news reports
The prosecution on Friday said it has issued an arrest warrant for a CJ Group executive for tax evasion amid the ongoing investigation in the food and entertainment conglomerate.
The executive is the vice president of the Hong Kong-based animal feed subsidiary of CJ Group, CJ Global Holdings, surnamed Shin. He is seen to have played a critical role in managing and laundering a massive slush fund for the embattled CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun.
The prosecution has indicated it would call Lee in for questioning once they finish with Shin.
CJ is under a sweeping probe for allegations that it created a secret fund worth tens of millions of dollars and evaded taxes in the process.
During the process, Shin allegedly led the creation of several special purpose companies that the conglomerate allegedly established in Hong Kong to manage the slush funds.
Shin also served as the boss of a former CJ worker who stood trials in 2008 on charges of hiring a hit man, officials said. The employee testified in court that he had managed CJ Chairman Lee Jae-hyun's slush funds worth hundreds of billions of won, according to court records.
Chairman Lee, who has been banned from leaving the country, is suspected of ordering and being briefed about the group's alleged wrongdoing that dates back to 2008.
According to prosecution sources, Lee is expected to be summoned sometime next week for further questioning over his alleged violation.
