SOURCE: [단독]'200억 탈세 의혹' 차은우, 대형 로펌 선임했다…본격 맞대응 준비
Cha Eunwoo has reportedly hired a major law firm after the National Tax Service ordered him to pay over 20 billion KRW in additional taxes on him over alleged tax evasion.
According to SPOTV News on the 26th, Cha Eunwoo hired the major law form Sejong and is preparing legal procedures to challenge the National Tax Service's decision. This is the same law firm that previously represented NewJeans in their contract termination lawsuit.
Last year, the Investigation Bureau 4 of the Seoul Regional Tax Office investigated allegations that Cha Eunwoo evaded taxes using the one-man agency established by his mother. He was later ordered to pay around 20 billion KRW in income tax. This is the largest amount of tax ever charged on a celebrity in South Korea.
Cha Eunwoo had been carrying out his activities where his agency, Fantagio, signed a contract with his mother's company to support his entertainment activities. The money he earned was then split between Fantagio, his mother's company, and Cha Eunwoo himself.
The National Tax Service believes that Cha Eunwoo's mother's company is a 'paper company' that doesn't actually do any real work. They believe that Cha Eunwoo and his mother set up the company and distributed income through it in order to pay a lower tax rate (around 25%) instead of the 45$ rate that individuals usually pay for high incomes.
Cha Eunwoo's side has filed a pre-assessment review (a preliminary procedure allowing taxpayers to challenge the legality of a tax notice and request correction. Fantagio stated, "They main issue here is whether the company started by Cha Eunwoo's mother qualifies as a business that should be taxed. The case has not been finally confirmed yet. We will actively explain our position on the legal interpretation and application according to the law."
Cha Eunwoo has now hired a major law firm for legal assistance. He is expected to prove that the company started by his mother is a real business that provided actual services, not just a fake company on paper.
Fantagio, who was also ordered to pay 8.2 billion KRW, has also hired another major law firm, Yulchon. The National Tax Service concluded that Fantagio had processed false tax invoices for Cha Eunwoo's mother's company. Fantagio has also filed a pre-assessment review, but was rejected by the National Tax Service.
When asked about hiring the law firm, Fantagio told SPOTV News, "We are unable to confirm this."
Cha Eunwoo enlisted in July last year and is currently serving on active duty. He has not yet made public statement regarding the tax evasion allegations.
