Rapper Swings has opened up about a past incident where he was the victim of unauthorized use of his company's corporate credit card.
Appearing on a recently released episode of the YouTube show 'Lee Eun-ji,' Swings was discussing money and spending habits when he shared the story, saying, "I have actually had my corporate card used without authorization."
When Lee Eun-ji asked if he was the type to hand out his cards, Swings replied, "There was a really interesting incident. One day, the employee who manages the company's finances came to me and said, 'CEO, we have a problem.' It turned out someone had used the corporate card for about 50 million won over the course of six months."
He continued, "At first, I thought it was the artists under the label using it for hair and makeup expenses, because the transaction history kept showing charges from salons and beauty shops." He explained that the company eventually secured the card user's contact information through one of the salons. When Swings tried calling the person directly, a woman in her 20s falsely claimed, "Swings oppa told me to use it."
Swings added, "It was a ridiculous story. I realized later that I had actually lost that corporate card six months prior. Because I had another card linked to the same account, I hadn't reported it as lost." He continued, "Since the card was labeled 'Indigo Music Corporate,' I think they searched it online and realized it was a company card. Because there were no restrictions even after they kept using it, the amount just kept growing."
According to Swings' account, this case could legally fall under the fraudulent use of a lost or stolen card. Under the current Specialized Credit Finance Business Act, the use of a lost or stolen credit or debit card can be punishable by up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
In the end, it was reported that the user repaid the entire amount spent on the card. Swings said, "I got it all back over the course of about three years, with payments made in installments every month," adding, "Looking back now, it was a pretty funny incident in my life."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)