Embezzled 570 Million Won in Six Months of Work... Accountant Squandered It on Entertainment and Gambling Expenses

Former Accountant at Daejeon Fish Market Embezzles 570 Million Won
Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison in 1st and 2nd Trials... "No Effort to Restore Damage"

A 40-year-old accounting staff member who embezzled over 570 million won while working at an agricultural and marine products market office in Daejeon was sentenced to three years in prison in the appellate court as well.

On the 25th, Yonhap News reported, "The 1st Criminal Division of the Daejeon High Court dismissed the appeals filed by both Mr. A and the prosecution in the appeal trial of the case involving violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement)." Both parties claimed the sentence was unfair, but the court upheld the original three-year prison sentence given to Mr. A in the first trial.

Mr. A worked as an accounting staff member responsible for fund management at an agricultural and marine products market office in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, from November 28, 2022, to May of the following year. On December 14, just fifteen days after starting work, he withdrew 29.85 million won from funds held in custody for work purposes and used it for gambling funds. He was indicted on charges of embezzling a total of over 569 million won in 48 instances until the end of May 2023, using the money for gambling, shopping, and living expenses.

Although he returned approximately 39 million won of gambling profits to the office’s business account early in the crime, the rest of the financial damage was not recovered.

Previously, the first trial court stated, "Considering the crime period, frequency, and method, embezzling a large sum of about 570 million won in six months shows very poor criminal nature," and sentenced him to three years in prison. Both Mr. A and the prosecution appealed, citing unfair sentencing.

The appellate court explained the reason for dismissal, saying, "The reasons for unfair sentencing claimed by the defendant and the prosecution were sufficiently considered in the original trial," and "Although the defendant agreed to pay 350 million won to the victim by July 19, it appears that no payment has been made so far, showing no concrete effort to restore the damage."