Court Cites Partial Compensation and Settlements in Sentence Reduction
Claims of Innocence on "True Story Exploration Team"... Later Admitted Charges During Investigation
Lee Areum (31), a former member of the group T-ara who was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial on fraud charges, received a slightly reduced sentence in the appeal trial.
According to the legal community on the 13th, the Suwon District Court Criminal Appeals Division 5-1 (Presiding Judge Kim Haengsun) sentenced Lee to four months in prison, suspended for one year. This is a reduced sentence compared to the first trial, where she was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.
Lee Areum (31), a former member of the group T-ara who was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial on fraud charges, received a slightly reduced sentence in the appeal trial. Lee Areum SNS
Her then-boyfriend, identified as Mr. A, who was indicted alongside her, was also sentenced to one year and six months in prison in the first trial, but his sentence was reduced to one year and four months in the appeal trial.
Lee and Mr. A were brought to trial on charges of borrowing approximately 37 million won from a total of three people, including fans and acquaintances, in 2022 and failing to repay them. The victims filed a complaint with the police early last year, after which the investigative authorities indicted the two, with Lee being tried without detention and Mr. A being detained.
When the case became public, Lee appeared on the MBC current affairs program "True Story Exploration Team," claiming, "Those who lent me money must feel wronged. But as the one who suffered by their side, I feel the most wronged. Please tell that person: I'm doing well, so if you wait, you'll get your money back." She voiced her frustration, but it was later confirmed that she admitted to most of the charges during the police investigation.
In the early stages of the investigation, Lee claimed she acted alone, but as the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Mr. A was also involved, leading to their joint trial. Most of the funds used by Mr. A were found to have been spent on gambling.
The appellate court explained the reasons for reducing Lee's sentence, stating, "Despite the seriousness of the crime, she reached settlements with two of the victims, and part of the damages has been repaid." Regarding Mr. A, the court said, "Although the motive and outcome of the crime are serious, he has admitted to all charges and shown remorse, and has also reached settlements with some of the victims."
Lee joined the girl group T-ara as a new member in 2012 but left the team the following year in 2013. She later married a businessman two years her senior in 2019 and gave birth to two sons. In December 2023, she announced her divorce proceedings. Around the same time, she filed a child abuse complaint against her ex-husband, but the investigation concluded with a finding of 'no charges.' Along with the news of her divorce, she also revealed she had remarried, gave birth to her third child in October last year, and is currently known to be pregnant with her fourth child.
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