The co-founder of popular frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry was arrested Monday afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport on an outstanding warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles Police Department told NBC4 News.
Young Lee, 47, was detained by a fugitive task force comprised of officers from the FBI and by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Los Angeles International Airport, LAPD spokeswoman Karen Rayner said. Lee’s flight into LAX originated in Korea with one stop in London.
He was turned over to LAPD, who issued the warrant for his arrest. Lee is suspected of chasing down and beating a homeless man who approached him at a traffic light in June, according to the LA Times.
Authorities gave little detail on the assault that led to Lee’s arrest, only saying that it is possible the Korean-American executive has not been in LA since the alleged assault took place in the downtown Los Angeles area.
In December, Lee’s 3,000-square-foot Malibu home went up for sale. Bought in 2008 for over $3.5 million, the property is now leased at under the purchase price.
Phone calls to that home, owned by Lee and his personal and business partner Shelly Hwang, were not immediately returned.
Lee was being held on $60,000 bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Late Monday night, there was no indication that he had posted bail.
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Lee and Hwang opened the first Pinkberry in 2005. Lee, a boxer turned architect, converted a West Hollywood garage into the original storefront now used as a Pinkberry office. The first shop offered just two flavors of the tart desserts: regular and green tea.
Pinkberry’s popularity quickly soared and in 2007, a venture capital firm invested $27 million dollars into the chain.
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