An internet conspiracy theory said that South Korean President Park Geun-hye is under the control of a secret society (called the Eight Goddesses or the Fairy Eight). The alleged society was described as a council of eight Korean billionaires who ran the South Korean government from behind the scenes, using President Park as a mouthpiece.

And now, it’s come to light that there’s a potential truth to this.

October 2016’s “Choi-gate” scandal involves President Park and her close associate Choi Soon-sil. Park Geun-hye has been accused of repeatedly leaking official government documents to her long-time friend, who often advised the President on what to do and say. Sensitive government documents were found on a computer owned by Soon-sil, who is not a government employee and doesn’t hold public office. Choi’s influence on Park has been present for decades, leading some to wonder who really has the power of President. Some sources say Choi organized secret meetings to run state affairs, handing out state documents to an unspecified number of people. After weeks of speculation and denial, the President made a public apology where she admitted having a connection to Choi Soon-sil.

It’s also alleged that Choi Soon-sil abused her friendship with the president for personal and financial gain. Some people accused Choi of “strong-arming” companies into giving massive donations to two non-profit organizations – which she has links to. The donations may have been misused. A university official resigned after allegations that Choi Soon-sil pressured them into giving special treatment to her daughter Chung Yoo-ra.

Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s most read national newspaper, responded to the recent scandals by saying “The current government faces de-facto collapse… Park Geun-hye and her party face the worst political crisis ever.”

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