Patient with back pain goes on trips and drinks... 'Nailonghwanja' sentenced to 6 months in prison in first trial

Pretending to Be a 'Fake Patient'... Obtained About 100 Million Won from 3 Insurance Companies

A man in his 40s, known as a so-called 'Nailong patient,' who exaggerated symptoms to secure nearly 100 million won in insurance payouts through prolonged hospitalization, has been sentenced to prison.

On the 27th, Yonhap News reported that Judge Min Han-gi of the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 7 sentenced Mr. A, a man in his 40s charged with violating the Special Act on the Prevention of Insurance Fraud, to six months in prison. Mr. A is accused of inflating the severity of his back condition in July 2015 to claim insurance money from three insurance companies, receiving approximately 96 million won. In reality, Mr. A only needed about 14 days of hospitalization, but he exaggerated his pain to the doctor and was hospitalized for a total of 58 days, submitting the bills to the insurance companies.

Mr. A's side argued, "Since the hospitalization was based on a doctor's diagnosis, it is not a 'fake hospitalization,'" but the court did not accept this. The court explained, "Doctors inevitably consider the symptoms and pain levels reported by the patient, so if the patient exaggerates, it inevitably affects their judgment." Furthermore, the court took into account that Mr. A traveled abroad before and after hospitalization, went out to drink alcohol during hospitalization, and other patients testified that he did not take his medication properly while hospitalized. The court noted, "He appeared capable of walking and performing daily activities, as he went out daily and drank alcohol," and explained the sentencing by stating, "Despite the serious nature of the crime, he denies the offense."