World-renown conductor Chung Myung-whun’s elder brother is under investigation for embezzlement of government subsidies, prosecutors said Friday.

The 70-year-old man who runs an arts and performance agency is suspected of misappropriating billions of won from a 14 billion won ($12 million) government subsidy for the “Incheon and Arts” project, which his company undertook to promote local art and performances from 2005 to 2010, the Incheon District Prosecutors’ office said.

Prosecutors confiscated documents, bills and accounting records related to the project from the company, CMI Korea. It is alleged that he gave work to a subcontractor and received kickbacks.

The investigation will likely expand to a construction project for an arts center in Songdo, in which the company took part in.

The building is scheduled to be completed in 2014 with around 350 billion won in government funds allocated to the project.

(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)