Borrowed 270,000 Won but "Pay Back 7 Million Won"... Threatened with Nude Photos as Collateral

Illegal Loan Shark Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison
Victim's SIM Chip Used in Burner Phone

An illegal lender who lent 270,000 won, received nude photos under the pretext of collateral, and threatened the victim by saying he would distribute them was sentenced to prison.

According to 'Yonhap News' on the 15th, the Criminal Division 11 of Gwangju District Court (Chief Judge Go Sang-young) sentenced Mr. A (50), who was indicted for violating the Loan Business Act and the Special Act on Sexual Violence, to one year in prison. In addition, the court ordered him to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program and imposed a three-year employment restriction.

Gwangju District Court

Mr. A was tried on charges of establishing an illegal loan business in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju from 2020 to 2021 and lending small amounts to a female victim in her 40s at an annual interest rate of 330%. The victim, Ms. B, borrowed only 270,000 won, but Mr. A was investigated for attempting various threats demanding repayment of interest and overdue fees ranging from 2 million to 7 million won.

During this process, Mr. A reportedly threatened the victim's husband by phone with statements implying "I will sell your wife's organs," and demanded a large sum of money by repeatedly threatening to distribute nude photos he received under the condition of waiving interest. He also threatened to film sexual intercourse videos. Furthermore, it was revealed that he took the victim's mobile phone SIM card and used it as an illegal loan collection burner phone.

The court stated, "Mr. A's crime is serious, and the victim and her family must have suffered considerable mental distress," and ruled that "a prison sentence is inevitable."