BTS Founder Bang Si-hyuk Facing Investor Fraud Allegations

Bang Si-hyuk, the man behind the massive K-pop group BTS, composed of seven members.

The founder of the agency to which BTS belongs is facing a warrant for investor fraud. This unfortunate incident occurs just as the boy band is on a global tour.

Published: 22.04.2026, 18:57 Updated: 22.04.2026, 18:57

Context: Bang Si-hyuk, the head of the agency Hybe Corporation that manages BTS, is under investigation for allegedly defrauding investors before the company went public.

As reported by the BBC, Bang Si-hyuk is suspected of misleading investors in 2019 about Hybe’s plans to go public, while secretly preparing for it. He is accused of convincing investors to sell their shares to a private equity fund he was associated with before the company’s IPO in 2020.

The businessman allegedly gained around 100 million Swiss francs through this investor fraud scheme.

Fact Check: Police suspect that Bang Si-hyuk received approximately 200 billion wons (around 105 million CHF) through a parallel agreement promising him 30% of the profits from selling company shares.

The investigation has led to raids at Hybe’s headquarters, the freezing of some assets, and calls for him to resign from his position as president of the company.

These legal issues have put the company in turmoil, while their star attraction, BTS, has embarked on a global tour after four years off the stage.

The BTS tour consists of 85 concerts in 34 cities worldwide and is expected to surpass the revenue generated by Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour,” which was already a record-breaking tour.