Image source: bbc.com
A South Korean court sentenced a woman to four years in prison for blackmailing Son Heung-min over false pregnancy claims, while her male accomplice received a two-year jail term for his role in extorting $200,000 from the Los Angeles FC striker through repeated threats and demands.
Son Heung-min Blackmailer Receives Four-Year Prison Sentence From Seoul Court
The woman in her 20s approached Son last year claiming she was pregnant with his child, despite not knowing whether this was true, according to testimony heard at Seoul district court. She successfully extorted 300 million won ($200,000) from the former Tottenham captain by threatening to make the allegation public if he refused to pay the demanded sum.
Court proceedings revealed that the woman spent the extorted money on luxury and designer goods following the successful blackmail operation. Her male accomplice in his 40s threatened Son 15 times during the scheme to secure payment, leading to his conviction for attempted blackmail and the two-year prison sentence handed down by the judge.
Prosecutors told the court on Monday that the woman insisted she received the money as compensation and portrayed herself as a victim, but accused her of planning the crime thoroughly. When the pair demanded additional money this year, Son reported the matter to police, leading to their arrest and subsequent prosecution for the blackmail scheme.
The judge stated that both defendants had abused Son’s celebrity status to commit their crime and noted that the 33-year-old footballer appeared to have suffered intense mental anguish after the case became public through media reporting. Son joined Los Angeles Football Club in August after 10 years at Tottenham, in what marked the most expensive transfer in Major League Soccer history.
