"Offering Coin Listings for Bribes" Charges
7 Years Imprisonment, 2 Billion KRW Fine, Luxury Watch Confiscation
Sung Yuri: "Hope the Truth Behind the Unjust Case Is Revealed"
The prosecution has requested a 7-year prison sentence for professional golfer An Seong-hyun, who illegally collected fees by promising to list a cryptocurrency.
According to the legal community on the 31st, at the sentencing hearing held on the 29th at the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 11 (Chief Judge Jeong Do-seong), the prosecution asked the court to sentence An to 7 years in prison, a fine of 2 billion won, a confiscation of 1.5 billion won, and seizure of two luxury watches that were the bribe's reward. For Lee Sang-jun, former CEO of Bithumb Holdings, who was indicted together, the prosecution requested a 5-year prison sentence, confiscation of 30.5 million won, and a confiscation of 1.525 billion won.
According to the prosecution, An and former CEO Lee are accused of receiving 3 billion won in cash, two luxury watches worth a total of 400 million won, and a high-end restaurant membership card from businessman Kang Jong-hyun between September and November 2021, along with a request to list A Coin on the exchange Bithumb (charges of breach of trust and bribery). An was also charged with fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes for deceiving Mr. Kang by saying, "Former CEO Lee is demanding 2 billion won quickly for the listing bribe," and embezzling the money. Additionally, former CEO Lee is accused of receiving two luxury bags worth a total of 30 million won and luxury clothing worth about 44 million won from Mr. Kang between January and March last year, who requested the listing of A Coin.
Earlier, the two denied the charges at the first trial held in November after being indicted without detention in September last year. Former CEO Lee claimed, "I never received 3 billion won," while An stated that "Although money was exchanged with Mr. Kang, it was not for the purpose of a bribe." The sentencing for them is scheduled for the 26th of next month.
Meanwhile, An debuted as a professional golfer in 2005 and served as a coach for the national golf team standby squad from 2014 to 2018. He married actress Sung Yu-ri, formerly of the group Fin.K.L, in 2017, and they have twin daughters. On January 1st, Sung posted on social media (SNS) a New Year's greeting along with a message saying, "I earnestly pray that the truth about the unfair and difficult things our family is going through will be revealed."
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