A court dismissed both criminal and civil actions after allegations over IVE photo cards promoted by a Papa John’s franchise.

A part-time worker stole 37 IVE photo cards distributed as gifts, prompting the Papa John’s franchise owner to file criminal charges and a civil lawsuit, but both were dismissed. In the first trial, and again in the second, the outcomes were the same.

The incident arose when Papa John’s ran a promotion featuring IVE photo cards. The store owner, who bought the cards from the corporate office, claimed the worker took 37 cards without authorization. At the time, the photo cards were popular and traded on online markets for about 5,000 to 10,000 won each.

The owner sought 1.47 million won in damages, combining the card value and lost pizza sales, and pursued criminal charges as well. However, investigators found insufficient evidence and the case was dismissed. The court did not accept the owner’s claims.

According to the ruling, it was reasonable to view that the worker took the cards with the manager’s permission, and there was no indication of covert theft in the CCTV footage. The testimony also indicated the manager’s consent, reinforcing the finding.

The civil action and the criminal investigation concluded with unfounded claims. The police subsequently issued a no-indictment decision regarding the employee and the manager.