'1.6 Billion Fraud' Former Cheongjo Father Sentenced to 5 Years and 6 Months in Prison Confirmed

Embezzled 1.6 Billion Won from Acquaintance under 'Factory Establishment Fund' Pretext and Fled
Apprehended Last Year after 5 Years on the Run
Supreme Court Confirms 5 Years and 6 Months Prison Sentence

Jeon Cheong-jo (left) and his father Jeon Mo. [Photo source=Online Community/JTBC News Clip]

Jeon Mo, the father of Jeon Cheong-jo, who was tried on charges of fraud involving 1.6 billion KRW, has been sentenced to prison.

According to the legal community on the 21st, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division dismissed Jeon’s appeal on fraud charges and upheld the original sentence of 5 years and 6 months imprisonment. Jeon was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison in both the first and second trials for embezzling a total of 1.61 billion KRW from an acquaintance, Mr. A, over six occasions from February to June 2018.

At the time, Jeon, who was running a real estate development company, met Mr. A while brokering a real estate sales contract. Jeon received money under the pretext of funding a company factory establishment and then cut off contact and disappeared. Jeon lived as a fugitive for five years and was urgently arrested by the police on the afternoon of December 25 last year while attempting to steal a mobile phone at a manpower brokerage office in Beolgyo-eup, Boseong, Jeollanam-do.

The first trial court stated, "The amount of damage exceeds 1.6 billion KRW, which is a large sum, and the crime is serious as the defendant cut off contact with the victim and absconded after the crime," adding, "Considering that no restitution has been made and the defendant has not been forgiven," as reasons for the sentencing.

Both the prosecution and Jeon appealed the first trial verdict citing excessive sentencing, but the appellate court also ruled, "Based on the submitted evidence, the first trial’s judgment cannot be considered too lenient or harsh," and "In such cases, it is appropriate to respect the original judgment." The court dismissed both appeals and maintained the 5 years and 6 months imprisonment sentence as in the first trial.

Meanwhile, Jeon Cheong-jo, Jeon’s daughter, has been on trial for defrauding investors of 2.72 billion KRW under the pretense of being a hidden heir of well-known domestic companies from March to October last year, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial.