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CJ그룹의 탈세 및 비자금 조성 의혹을 수사하고 있는 검찰이 29일 이재현 그룹 회장의 자택을 전격 압수수색했다.
검찰은 이날 장충동 빌라촌에 위치한 이 회장의 자택과 자동차에서 각종 내부 보고 문서와 컴퓨터 하드디스크 등을 확보했다.
검찰은 지난 21일에는 중구 남대문로 CJ 본사와 쌍림동 제일제당센터, 장충동 경영연구소, 인재원, 전•현직 재무담당 핵심 임직원 2명의 자택 등 6곳에 수사팀을 보내 회계 장부와 자금 관리 문건, 컴퓨터 하드디스크 등을 확보한 바 있다. 당시 법원은 이 회장 집에 대한 압수수색 영장은 기각한 것으로 알려졌다.
검찰은 CJ그룹의 수천억원대 비자금 조성과 수백억원대 탈세 의혹에 이 회장이 있으며 이와 관련된 각종 불법 활동을 지시하고 보고받았다고 영장에 적시한 것으로 전해졌다.
또한 이날 검찰은 신한은행 도쿄지점이 CJ그룹의 일본법인이 운영하는 것으로 알려진 팬재팬(주)에 대출해준 240억원과 관련해 신한은행 본점을 압수수색했다. 검찰은 일부 상환된 대출금의 출처가 불분명하다고 판단, 송금한 계좌 등을 확인 중인 것으로 알려졌다.
검찰은 이 회장을 주요 피의자로 규정해 22일께 출국금지했으며 압수물 분석이 끝나면 이 회장 일가의 해외비자금을 조성한 것으로 지목된 전 CJ 홍콩법인장 신모씨와 이 회장 등 오너일가를 차례로 부를 것으로 보인다.
이 회장은 해외에 조성한 차명계좌 등을 이용해 비자금을 조성 및 탈세를 지시했다는 의혹을 받고 있다. 또한 검찰은 이 회장이 지배구조 강화를 위해 차명 계좌를 국외 비자금 등을 이용해 주가를 움직인게 아닌지 의심하고 있는 것으로 알려졌다.
검찰은 또 CJ그룹이 2008년에 차명재산 관련해서 1700억원의 세금을 내는 과정에서 드러나지 않은 차명 재산이 더 존재할 가능성이 있다고 보고 수사하고 있다.
검찰은 이 회장이 차명계좌를 보유한 것으로 의심되고 있는 홍콩, 영국령 버진 아일랜드 등의 당국으로부터 협조를 요청했다.
보도에 따르면 검찰은 홍콩 법인 등에 개설된 차명 계좌를 통해 CJ 계열사 주식거래 등에 동원됐던 이 회장 측의 비자금 규모가 1000억원이 넘다고 보고 수사를 확대하고 있다고 한다. (코리아헤럴드)
<관련 영문 기사>
Prosecutors raid CJ chairman’s home over slush fund probe
By Choi He-suk
Prosecutors investigating allegations of tax evasion and a slush fund formed by CJ Group raided the home of the group’s chairman Lee Jay-hyun on Wednesday.
The investigators also raided the headquarters of Shinhan Bank over the 24 billion won ($21 million) loan the bank gave to Pan Japan, a Japan-based company said to be operated by the chief of CJ Group’s Japanese branch.
Ahead of the raid on the bank, an employee of Shinhan Bank’s Tokyo branch was summoned for questioning on Tuesday.
Along with the raids, the prosecutors are said to be preparing to summon Lee and other key CJ Group officials including a former executive of CJ identified by the surname Shin for questioning early next month. Shin is thought to have been in charge of Lee’s hidden accounts until 2007, and is suspected of managing the CJ chairman’s slush funds in overseas accounts.
Lee is suspected of hiding assets under borrowed names in overseas accounts to evade taxes, and of using the funds to manipulate stock prices of CJ Group companies to consolidate his control over the country’s 14th largest conglomerate. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Maeng-hee, who is the elder brother of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee.
As the investigation continues, investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office are said to be focusing on determining whether the group has illicit assets in addition to those revealed in 2008. At the time, the group paid 170 billion won ($151 million) in taxes for assets inherited from Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul that had been held under borrowed names.
The investigators have also requested cooperation from authorities in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands and other countries where the CJ chairman is suspected of holding accounts under borrowed names.
According to reports, the investigators have secured evidence that CJ Group’s special purpose company in Hong Kong borrowed more than 200 billion won from banks to invest in other countries. The Hong Kong-based operation is suspected of siphoning off the profits from the investments.
In addition, more than 100 billion won from CJ Group affiliates is thought to have been directed to the company in Hong Kong. (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
Prosecutors raid CJ chairman’s home over slush fund probe
By Choi He-suk
Prosecutors investigating allegations of tax evasion and a slush fund formed by CJ Group raided the home of the group’s chairman Lee Jay-hyun on Wednesday.
The investigators also raided the headquarters of Shinhan Bank over the 24 billion won ($21 million) loan the bank gave to Pan Japan, a Japan-based company said to be operated by the chief of CJ Group’s Japanese branch.
Ahead of the raid on the bank, an employee of Shinhan Bank’s Tokyo branch was summoned for questioning on Tuesday.
Along with the raids, the prosecutors are said to be preparing to summon Lee and other key CJ Group officials including a former executive of CJ identified by the surname Shin for questioning early next month. Shin is thought to have been in charge of Lee’s hidden accounts until 2007, and is suspected of managing the CJ chairman’s slush funds in overseas accounts.
Lee is suspected of hiding assets under borrowed names in overseas accounts to evade taxes, and of using the funds to manipulate stock prices of CJ Group companies to consolidate his control over the country’s 14th largest conglomerate. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Maeng-hee, who is the elder brother of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee.
As the investigation continues, investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office are said to be focusing on determining whether the group has illicit assets in addition to those revealed in 2008. At the time, the group paid 170 billion won ($151 million) in taxes for assets inherited from Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul that had been held under borrowed names.
The investigators have also requested cooperation from authorities in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands and other countries where the CJ chairman is suspected of holding accounts under borrowed names.
According to reports, the investigators have secured evidence that CJ Group’s special purpose company in Hong Kong borrowed more than 200 billion won from banks to invest in other countries. The Hong Kong-based operation is suspected of siphoning off the profits from the investments.
In addition, more than 100 billion won from CJ Group affiliates is thought to have been directed to the company in Hong Kong. (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
