You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 160

You’ve Been Defended – Episode 160

The sudden tax investigation was triggered by a tip-off alleging I was evading taxes.

I pressed the investigator for specifics, but that was all the information I could get.

Currently, my income primarily comes from attorney’s fees and investment income from stocks, and other sources.

The first point of contention was the attorney’s fees.

As a lawyer who’s only been running a solo practice for three years, the scale of my fees is substantial, but that’s due to the complexity and size of the cases I’ve handled, not because I’ve overcharged.

However, such nuances were irrelevant in the face of the all-out ‘Destroy Cha Ju-han’ campaign.

I was quickly branded as a lawyer who charged exorbitant fees.

The sheer amount of the fees, reaching ‘hundreds of millions of won’ [hundreds of thousands of US dollars], was perfect for sensational media coverage.

But they weren’t content with just that.

They began scrutinizing every investment I had, from stocks to real estate.

They even investigated investments I had briefly explored and profited from before withdrawing.

It wouldn’t have been a difficult task for them.

From the start, I had no intention of concealing my personal wealth, and every penny was legally acquired.

The national agency could easily ascertain the extent of my assets.

I’ve entrusted all my tax matters to a tax accountant every year, and I pay a staggering amount of taxes that even I consider excessive.

Yet, here I was, accused of charging excessive fees, tax evasion, and even illegal speculation.

[From the Yeo Hee-suk and Kim Cheol-hwan case to the Go Yun-seong case, Lawyer Cha, who gained prominence by taking on high-profile cases over the past three years, was booked on the 2nd on charges of tax evasion. The prosecution revealed that Lawyer Cha not only received billions of won in fees over the past three years but also multiplied his wealth through various forms of speculation. The prosecution has issued a search and seizure warrant for the tax firm handling Lawyer Cha’s taxes.]

The smear campaign against me spread like wildfire through all media outlets.

The ironic part is that the news contained very few outright lies.

It’s true that I earned billions of won in fees, and it’s also true that I significantly increased my wealth through various investments.

And they only stated that I was suspected of a crime, without definitively claiming that I was guilty.

So, even if my innocence is proven, they can easily retract their statements with a simple, ‘It wasn’t true,’ absolving themselves of any responsibility.

“I didn’t realize I was such a prominent figure.”

Within days, I had been transformed into a con artist overnight.

Despite my numerous appearances on News9 for interviews and my involvement in various high-profile cases, the reality is that I’m just a lawyer in a small firm.

While it’s true that my ambition is to become a star lawyer, I never imagined it would reach a point where all the media outlets would be talking about me like this.

All of this is happening because someone is orchestrating it.

“I’ve heard from reliable sources that everyone in the know is aware that someone is determined to destroy Cha and is actively targeting him. People are being tight-lipped about who it is, but considering the timing, it’s almost certain. Ugh, those villains!”

Choi Jong-hyun paced back and forth nervously.

Kang Min-jae had been staring at Choi Jong-hyun with a pale face since he arrived.

I had called Choi Jong-hyun to reassure Kang Min-jae and Manager Oh, who were growing increasingly anxious as I continued to appear in the news daily.

Instead, Choi Jong-hyun was only amplifying their worries.

“Wooshin isn’t even trying to hide their involvement. They seem to be openly demonstrating the consequences of crossing them. Well, I can understand them holding such a grudge. After Go Sang-jun’s youngest son went to jail, Wooshin Moolsan suffered significant losses and even had to negotiate with the labor union, but the stock price still plummeted. Besides, this isn’t the first time Cha has interfered with Wooshin, right?”

“Let’s be clear. We didn’t interfere with Wooshin; Go Yun-seong initiated the trouble. And aside from that, our only involvement with Wooshin was through Blue Island Media.”

“I heard they’re planning to rebrand Blue Island Media? Apparently, the amount of money going to that aspiring writer is astronomical. Plus, with the departure of star writer Jung Hye-jin, they’re not attracting as much investment anymore.”

“The media business isn’t a primary focus for Wooshin Group, so it’s an exaggeration to say we interfered with Wooshin. And they were the ones who acted wrongly in the first place. Even if it wasn’t me, someone else would have taken the case, and the truth would have eventually come out.”

Kang Min-jae retorted to Choi Jong-hyun’s words in a somber tone.

Choi Jong-hyun seemed taken aback by Kang Min-jae’s subtly hostile attitude.

He quickly began to backtrack.

“No, there was also the Go Jin-ah case. Go Sang-kyung and Go Sang-jun are brothers, so, well…”

“Are you suggesting that Go Sang-kyung might have joined in, instead of Go Sang-jun simply being angry because his son went to jail?”

Kang Min-jae asked, surprised to learn of another potential enemy.

“…Rumor has it that Go Sang-kyung, Go Sang-jun, and…”

“Tae Kwang, right?”

Manager Oh, who had been listening quietly, interjected.

Choi Jong-hyun nodded gravely.

“It would be difficult enough if those three were acting independently, but they’ve joined forces to launch this ‘Destroy Cha Ju-han’ campaign… Cha, do you have any ideas?”

Until now, I’ve been the one who has benefited from leveraging the media.

Yun Se-yeon, a reporter from Iljung Daily, and Jin Hye-kyung, an anchor from News9.

Feeding them exclusive stories and shaping public opinion through media manipulation is the strategy I’ve employed thus far.

But against opponents like Go Sang-jun, Go Sang-kyung, and Tae Kwang, that level of connection is insufficient.

After all, they also need approval from their superiors to report, and those superiors are likely receiving instructions from my enemies.

“I have never evaded taxes, not even once. I haven’t even claimed the standard tax deductions. I instructed the tax firm to report every single won I earned, to avoid any potential issues later.”

“…I consulted someone I know in the Tax Crime Investigation Department, and they said that if you genuinely haven’t created any loopholes, you should be safe regarding tax evasion. The financial records are so intricately interwoven that it would be difficult to manipulate them. Usually, that level of effort is used to conceal a crime, not to create one.”

I had noticed Manager Oh making numerous calls these past few days, and it seemed he was contacting his connections.

The department handling my case this time is also the Tax Crime Investigation Department.

And the Tax Crime Investigation Department is an organization under the Third Deputy Prosecutor.

In other words, it’s an organization I used to oversee in my previous role.

That’s why I never imagined I would be accused of tax evasion.

I know their methods intimately.

“The problem lies in the excessive fees and speculation – the fact that you’ve significantly increased your wealth.”

“We’ve never charged excessive fees. And especially in Oh Sang-hyun’s case this time, we even reduced our fees because Oh Sang-hyun had already paid a retainer to another lawyer. That’s because you told us to do that…”

“I know. But the fact remains that this office has taken on cases typically handled by large law firms and received substantial fees.”

“…”

“So, while it might not be a large percentage, the absolute value is significant! Kang, don’t misunderstand me. I’m here because I’m genuinely concerned about Cha right now.”

Kang glared at Choi Jong-hyun every time he said something that could be used against me.

“Cha’s image as a champion of justice has been tarnished by accusations of excessive fees and speculation. This is completely at odds with public sentiment. People will feel betrayed. Besides, even if Cha is released without any charges, they’ll say that he’s a lawyer and managed to navigate the legal system… He’ll face even more backlash for that.”

“That’s right. That’s what Wooshin wants. A guilty verdict would be ideal for them, but even in the current situation, they’ve inflicted considerable damage.”

“People seem particularly outraged by the speculation.”

I agree.

In fact, what triggers the strongest sense of ‘Hyunja Time’ [a Korean slang term for post-orgasmic clarity or a feeling of disillusionment after an intense experience] in people is unearned income.

Unearned income is the stroke of luck that most ordinary people in this society crave.

If someone they perceived as being on their side made a fortune through illegal investments, they would naturally feel betrayed.

Especially if it’s me, a ‘legal professional’ known as a rare example of someone rising from humble beginnings before the bar exam was reformed.

They would naturally think, ‘In the end, you’re just like everyone else.’

“Furthermore, it’s been revealed that you don’t have a company managing your assets and that your assets have almost tripled in just two years. People are asking how that’s possible without illegal means. It’s not like one stock skyrocketed and tripled in value; you even diversified your investments. Honestly, I’m a little curious myself. What’s the secret?”

“Hey, reporter!”

Kang Min-jae snapped, and Choi Jong-hyun immediately clammed up.

“I was just joking. Anyway, in the current situation, dwelling on what to do won’t solve anything.”

Choi Jong-hyun added cautiously, and Kang Min-jae sighed deeply.

“First and foremost, the key takeaway is this: I have never done anything illegal, and that will be confirmed by the prosecution’s investigation. Tae Kwang knows better than anyone that fabricating witnesses and evidence won’t work against me.”

Tae Kwang has suffered the most from presenting false witnesses and evidence in my cases.

Even if Go Sang-jun instructed them to do so, they would likely advise against it, warning that it could backfire.

Go Sang-jun also tends to heed the advice of Tae Kwang’s Yoon Won-hyung.

“They’ll focus on destroying my reputation. People are curious about the case’s progress, but they won’t care about the outcome, so it’s already a partial victory for them.”

“…Then what?”

“First, I need to fully cooperate with the prosecution’s investigation. Although it’s a negative situation, they’ve elevated me to superstar status. To avoid any potential pitfalls, I must provide everything the prosecution requests, especially the data.”

“Kang and I will prepare that.”

“Thank you. I should get going now. Manager Oh, I’ll be back. Reporter, thanks for sharing the information.”

I checked my watch.

I have about an hour before I’m scheduled to appear at the prosecutor’s office.

“I’ll drive you there.”

Kang Min-jae grabbed the car keys and stayed close as I put on my coat.

I wanted to go alone, but I had never seen Kang Min-jae look so worried.

It was difficult to refuse his offer.

“Okay.”

I still haven’t figured out a good solution.

But I have to find one.

Otherwise, the efforts of the past three years will be for nothing.