Why do you think the investigation into who was rigged into I.O.I was dropped despite evidence that one member was swapped

At first, the investigators were only investigating the last two seasons, but then evidence was found that irregularities and shady business happened before as well, in the first two seasons.

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Reportedly, the cyber crime investigation unit of the Seoul police have recently discovered differences in the total numbers between viewers' messenger votes, and the final vote "results" shown on the program during 'Produce 101' season 1 and 2.

Previously, after his arrest back on November 5, Ahn Joon Young PD of the 'Produce' series denied vote rigging allegations against 'Produce 101' season 1 and 2. However, based on the ongoing investigation, the entire 'Produce' series may fall under even more controversy.

Source: https://www.allkpop.com/articl…ason-1-2-were-also-rigged

It was also discovered that one agency allegedly used 100,000 fake IDs to rig in their trainee.

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While carrying out investigations, a witness claimed that entertainment company 'A' rigged the votes during 'Produce 101' season 1 by using over 100,000 fake IDs.

The agency 'A' is facing suspicions of creating fake IDs and ordering not only employees, but also trainees to cast their votes toward contestants from the agency.

Source: https://www.allkpop.com/articl…00000-fake-ids-for-voting

So people thought that maybe this was how season 1 was rigged, but!

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Earlier during his investigation, Ahn Joon Young PD only admitted to vote manipulations on 'Produce 48' and 'Produce X 101', denying any manipulation during 'Produce 101' season 1 and 2.

However, after being forwarded to prosecution on his current charges of fraud, manipulative broadcasting, etc, Ahn Joon Young PD has given a new statement, partially admitting to the likelihood of ranking manipulations from the first and second 'Produce 101' seasons.

Meanwhile, police plan on continuing their investigations into the vote manipulation suspicions behind 'Produce 101' seasons 1 and 2, as well as similar suspicions on Mnet's 'Idol School'.

Source: https://www.allkpop.com/articl…on-produce-101-season-1-2

It's also alleged that the main culprit, Ahn Joon Young PD was not the only PD involved in rigging and that another PD was the one who manipulated the results of season 1 finale.

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In a copy of the prosecution's statement for non-indictment, the prosecutors state 'Produced 101' staff manipulated votes for the live finale of 'Produce 101' in April of 2016 (season 1). They reportedly changed the votes, so one trainee who made the 'Top 11' was removed and another trainee replaced her.

Prosecution stated, "Defendant Ahn Joon Young was the main producing director for 'Produce 101' season 1. He admitted that during the finale for the final members, the voting results were manipulated so the rankings of 'A' and 'B' were switched, so 'B' debuted with IOI. However, the defendant also says he was busy editing footage during the live broadcast and handling transmission, so he was not involved in tallying votes. He strongly denies manipulating votes for the final ranking."

According to the written statement, 'Produce 101' was being managed by former CJ ENM chief producer Han and main writer Park at the time, and they were the ones who manipulated the IOI votes. A rep from the truth commission also stated, "As the manipulation took place as early as season 1, it seems as if they had no interest in properly running the show from the start. We asked prosecution about investigations into the chief producer of season 1, but they didn't respond."

Source: https://www.allkpop.com/articl…ting-produce-101-rankings

Later, the claims mentioned were only that the votes were changed by HIM during a preliminary round only, and they stopped mentioning the other PDs.

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During 'Produce 101' seasons 1 and 2, Ahn PD is reportedly facing suspicions of switching up the results of some trainees' votes throughout season 1 including during preliminary voting rounds, as well as directly manipulating the votes of one trainee during season 2 in order to include him in Wanna One.

Source: https://www.allkpop.com/articl…pulation-reasons-revealed

This article confirms that the prosecution said that the votes were switched during the final episode of season 1 but not by Ahn PD, who only changed them in a preliminary round during that season which proves that another PD did it: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0001086707

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But Media Today obtained a copy of the prosecution’s explanatory statement for non indictment, in which prosecutors stated that the “Produce 101” production staff manipulated votes for the live broadcast of the Season 1 finale in April 2016. This included both online votes cast before the finale and text votes sent during the finale.

They changed the votes and manipulated the rankings so that one trainee who had ranked in the Top 11 (“A”) was removed and one trainee who had not ranked in the Top 11 (“B”) was brought in. This was not included in the written indictment that prosecutors sent to the National Assembly.

A source from the truth commission on the “Produce 101” Season 1 case stated through a legal representative, “Some of the charges were recommended for non indictment, so we checked the explanatory statement for non indictment and found that one member of the final 11 in Season 1 had their rankings changed. Seeing as manipulation took place as early as Season 1, it seems that they had no interest in doing the show properly from the very beginning. We asked the prosecution about investigations into the CP of Season 1, but they did not respond.”

Source: https://dailynaver.blogspot.co…that-first-season-of.html

This article says that police found data error in season 1 as well: https://news.naver.com/main/re…02&oid=003&aid=0009557482

I can't find the article anymore, but I remember when it was said that the investigation into season 1 beyond the two trainees rigged out in the preliminary round would not be forwarded to prosecution.

Source: https://vanbun.blogspot.com/20…on-1-final-group-ioi.html

So basically, there was evidence that season 1 was rigged too and that a member was changed, but they decided not to investigate it further as they were prosecuting certain people at that time, and those people were not the same people who rigged season 1 finale.

Does that mean what I think it means? There was a trainee rigged out of season 1 as well?

Quote from omnimorphism

Not surprised.

Maybe they didn't have enough evidence so they stopped it.

From everything they said, both the police and prosecution and the truth committee - they found evidence. But the evidence wasn't against any of the people they were prosecuting. They said that those other people should also be prosecuted, but, they never prosecuted them after this that we know of.

Quote from 0ppar

they were paid off by CJ E&M

The trainee rigged out or the investigators? Why would they be successfully paid off for just this one person and the case would go through for the other 12 and they'd be compensated by CJ E&M?

Quote from HDMZ

Maybe those bastards didn't make any confession in regards to who got swapped by who, or who exactly did what, ergo the evidence wasn't incriminating enough.

From what I understood, the investigators had all the data, which makes this even stranger . But yeah, bastards indeed!

Quote from atropos

They got paid off

For that one person only?

Quote from omnimorphism

Not enough public outcry for already disbanded groups to open another process / prevent paying off

Yeah but both Wanna One and I.O.I were investigated later on after this evidence was found and they compensated them other two trainees rigged out of the preliminary round of season 1 + the trainees from season 2 including the one rigged out in the finale (Baekho), so it's weird that this is how it went down for season 1 final trainee that was rigged out. Weird, but not impossible that they were paid off.

Quote from bbgc

I hope they only reveal who was rigged out and not who was rigged in.

Because the contestants themselves in or out, aren't guilty of anything.

This is all agency powerplay and revealing who got rigged in, will taint the reputation of the girls/boys.

Season 1, I can only think of Kim Nayoung who was consistently in the top 11, yet did not make it.

Chungha claimed the ranks, who would even deny that she doesn't deserve the place.

Similarly Yeonjung.

Sohye .. Well that's a different story.

Though Somi had a spike at the end, probably due to i-fans, she still was always in the top 4.

The "evil" editing to highlight/suppress was far more effective way to manipulate, than just votes.

Though an interesting show, it was not about talent or objectivity.

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I don't think they'll ever reveal it since there seems to be no investigation going on for season 1 and the other investigations for other seasons already concluded and the court cases ended and sentences were given out. We were never told who was rigged in (but there was evidence that the members who were rigged in legitimately didn't know about it, which investigators shared as the reason they should never be named), but we were told who was rigged out!

Quote from MrAkimo123

Pretty sure they manipulated since Season 1, but there is gain in revealing who got rigged in. IMO, I am just suspicious some of them got a sudden spike in the last round like Chungha. Don't get me wrong, I like Chungha's songs but this is just my guess since I'm also a bit shocked seeing her manage to secure the spot at that time.

Besides, just like KDRAMA, if someone who holds power and money is involved in this, pretty much the case will be covered up. That Ahn PD seems like the only PD got his name revealed basically means that he is the scapegoat in this controversy.

For sure he was a scapegoat for everyone else as well but that doesn't excuse what he did and he's still very guilty for his crimes, it's just that he's not the only one who should've been put behind bars - but the person rigged in the first season must've been rigged in on the orders of someone big since they only hush hushed this revelation and situation and revealed the trainees rigged out in other seasons. Again, I don't want the people who were rigged in to know that they were rigged in since investigators said they found concrete proof neither of them knew, but I want the last person who was rigged out (actually, the first person), to know that they actually made it and to receive compensation like the other 12 trainees did. So weird that this person is the only one in the dark.

Quote from MrAkimo123

Is it confirmed only 1 got rigged out? Because the manipulation is done from preliminary and I remember that 2 or 3 episodes before the final, no votes are shown. So, people just assume that the one ranked high on preliminary will high likely secure the spot in the end. However, if the manipulation is done early, then not only 1 person is rigged out.

It's true, he is wrong, I'm just saying that if he is the only one who got revealed, that means the others must be people with some influence because the prosecution doesn't want to investigate them although there already have evidence for it.

It's confirmed that in season 1, 2 girls were rigged out in the preliminaries by the PD that was prosecuted and charged and punished and 1 girl was rigged out of the finals by other PDs, and that case wasn't pursued.

The two preliminary girls are known and they were compensated.