"Dead Husband Turns into Ghost" Classmate Extorts 3.2 Billion Won for Gut Ritual Fee

"You have a curse, so your son will die" - Received a large sum
Did not perform gut rituals, spent money on living expenses
Sentenced to 10 years in prison in the first trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A woman in her 60s who approached an elementary school classmate struggling after her husband's extreme choice and defrauded her of over 3.2 billion won in the name of shamanistic ritual fees over 8 years was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the first trial.

According to Yonhap News on the 29th, the Criminal Division 1 of Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch (Chief Judge Shin Gyosik) sentenced A (61, female), who was indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes (fraud), to 10 years in prison.

The origin of this case dates back 10 years. In February 2013, victim B (61, female), who ran a snack bar in a traditional market in Wonju, Gangwon Province, was suffering unbearable distress after her husband passed away due to an extreme choice earlier that month.

A, an elementary school classmate of B who worked at a nearby restaurant and learned of B's situation, deceived B in mid-February of that year by saying, "A shamanistic ritual must be performed for your deceased husband. If his anger is not appeased, he will not be reborn in paradise and will wander as a restless spirit," and collected ritual fees.

What started as a demand for 700,000 won gradually became bolder. A even pretended to convey a shaman's words to B, saying, "You have spiritual energy. To block it, you must perform a ritual. Otherwise, your son will die or nothing will go well, and you cannot live normally."

Although A never actually requested a ritual from a shaman, she continuously demanded ritual fees ranging from several million to tens of millions of won 584 times over 8 years. It is reported that B raised the ritual fees in cash and handed them over to A by selling all kinds of real estate she owned. B's total damages amounted to 3,298,040,000 won.

During the trial, A admitted to receiving money from B but claimed, "It was borrowed money, and some of it was repaid, so it cannot be said that I embezzled the entire amount stated in the indictment." However, it was revealed that she repaid only 68 million won, used most of the embezzled money for her living expenses and retirement funds, and even transferred money to her daughters for apartment purchases.

The court pointed out, "The defendant exploited the victim's unstable mental state and unfortunate family history to embezzle a large sum of money over a long period of 8 years under the pretext of rituals. Despite this, she does not admit to the crime and instead blames the victim, so the responsibility for the crime is by no means light."

It added, "The circumstances and motives of the crime are very bad, such as using the embezzled money for living expenses and her family. Although this is her first offense, considering the significant economic damage caused to the victim and her family and the victim's plea for severe punishment of the defendant, the sentence was determined."