A South Korean court has sentenced a woman to four years in prison for the blackmail of football player Son Heung-min. Her accomplice received a two-year jail term for attempted blackmail.
The woman, identified as being in her 20s, and her accomplice, a man in his 40s, were found guilty of extorting money from Son Heung-min. The extortion involved claims that the woman was pregnant with his child, which was later determined not to be the case.
Details of the Offence
Last year, the woman approached Son Heung-min with the false pregnancy claim. She extorted 300 million won, equivalent to approximately $200,000 USD or £153,000 GBP, threatening to publicize the allegation if her demands were not met. Funds obtained were reportedly spent on luxury and designer goods.
The accomplice issued 15 threats to Son Heung-min in pursuit of the money. Son Heung-min reported the individuals to the police when further demands for money were made this year.
During the trial, prosecutors stated that the woman's claims did not align with facts and accused her of planning the crime deliberately. The court determined that the individuals had exploited Son Heung-min's public profile for their criminal activity.
Son Heung-min's Public Profile
Son Heung-min is a prominent football player. In October, he was named the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer (MLS). He transferred to the Los Angeles Football Club in August from Tottenham after 10 years, in what marked the most expensive transfer in MLS history. In 2022, while playing for Tottenham, he became the first Asian player to win the Premier League's golden boot award.