HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk Faces Arrest — Police Seek Warrant Over Alleged ₩190B IPO Fraud

On April 21, 2026, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announces it is seeking an arrest warrant for HYBE Chairman and BTS founder Bang Si-hyuk. Police allege Bang defrauded early HYBE investors in 2019 by concealing IPO plans while encouraging them to sell stakes at undervalue to a private equity fund tied to Bang — generating approximately 190 billion won ($129M) in alleged illicit gains after the 2020 HYBE IPO. Bang has been under a travel ban since August 2025 amid a Capital Markets Act investigation. The announcement, covered globally by Bloomberg, Variety, NBC News, and Deadline, represents the most significant legal crisis in HYBE's history. Bang is HYBE's founder and the creative architect behind BTS's global rise. HYBE pledges full cooperation. The warrant request emerges four days before BTS opens the North American leg of the ARIRANG World Tour in Tampa, Florida.