A woman in her 20s who claimed to be pregnant and demanded money from South Korean football star Son Heung-min, and a man in his 40s accused of attempted extortion, were both sentenced to imprisonment in the first instance.
On December 8th, the judge of Criminal Division 20 of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yang, who was charged with extortion and attempted extortion, to 4 years in prison, and the man in his 40s, who was charged with attempted extortion, to 2 years in prison. During the sentencing hearing on November 27th, the prosecution had recommended a 5-year prison term for Yang and a 2-year term for Long.
It is reported that in June last year, she sent fetal ultrasound images to Son Heung-min, falsely claiming to be pregnant, and extorted 300 million won from him. Later, due to financial difficulties, she colluded with her boyfriend Long in March this year to demand another 70 million won. Initially, the prosecution believed that the second attempted extortion was committed by Long alone, but verification of call records and analysis of search and seizure confirmed that Yang was also involved.
Investigators also found that Yang had previously demanded money from another man on the pretext of being pregnant; after receiving no response, she lied about being pregnant with Son Heung-min’s child, successfully defrauding him.
Son Heung-min’s side filed a lawsuit against Yang and Long on charges of extortion on May 7th. The police apprehended the two on May 14th and detained them on May 17th, with the case transferred to the prosecution on May 22nd. During the first instance trial in July this year, Yang denied the charges of colluding with Long and attempted extortion, but did not raise clear objections to the fact that she initially extorted 300 million won from Son Heung-min; Long, however, pleaded guilty to all charges. Finally, the court made the judgment based on the two’s confessions and subsequent trial proceedings, sentencing both to imprisonment.
