Actress Hwang Jung-eum, formerly of the group Sugar, has been charged with embezzling approximately 4.3 billion won of company funds and faces a 3-year prison sentence.

According to legal circles on the 21st, the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office requested a 3-year prison sentence for Hwang in the final trial for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement) held at the Jeju District Court's Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judge Lim Jae-nam).

Hwang was brought to trial on charges of embezzling about 4.34 billion won of company funds, including approximately 700 million won from funds borrowed by Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, which she invested in cryptocurrency under the guise of advance payments in early 2022.

It is reported that she invested about 4.2 billion won of the embezzled amount in cryptocurrency, while the remaining funds were used to pay property and local taxes, among other expenses.

The agency in question is a family-owned company where Hwang holds 100% of the shares, and she is the sole artist under its management.

Hwang's side has admitted to all charges and reportedly repaid the amount taken as advance payments from Hunminjeongeum Entertainment by June 5, submitting related documents to the Jeju District Court.

Hwang's representatives pleaded for leniency, stating, "The defendant invested with the intention of growing the company. She lacked awareness of accounting and procedures, believing that repayment would resolve any issues, which led to the crime. There are no other victims, and the entire amount has been repaid, so we ask for consideration."

The sentencing hearing for Hwang is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on the 25th of next month.