The court has upheld the prison sentences for Miss A and Mr. B, who threatened South Korean national footballer Son Heung Min, currently playing for Los Angeles FC, in an extortion scheme. Both defendants’ appeals were dismissed.
On April 8, the Seoul Central District Court, Criminal Appeals Division 2-1 (Presiding Judges Kwak Jeong Han, Kim Yong Hee, and Cho Eun Ah) held the appeal hearing. The court maintained the original sentences: Miss A received four years in prison, while Mr. B was sentenced to two years. The court rejected all claims of legal errors or excessive sentencing.
“The original judgment shows no change in circumstances that would justify a different sentence,” the court stated. “Considering the defendants’ evidence and the consequences of their actions, the sentences are not excessively harsh.”
According to reports, Miss A extorted 300 million KRW (approximately 203,134 USD) from Son Heung Min in June 2024 by threatening to reveal a pregnancy. Initially, she demanded money from another man, falsely claiming she was pregnant. When that attempt failed, she targeted Son Heung Min.
Earlier this year, Miss A conspired with her partner, Mr. B, to commit a second extortion, demanding an additional 70 million KRW (about 47,400 USD). During this scheme, Mr. B reportedly pressured Son Heung Min’s personal assistant, his father’s football academy, and his advertising company.
The first-instance court noted inconsistencies in Miss A’s claim that the fetus was Son Heung Min’s and described the 300 million KRW (approximately 203,134 USD) demand as “excessively large as compensation.” The court also cited the defendants’ exploitation of the victim’s celebrity status, describing their crimes as particularly serious.
Regarding Mr. B, the court emphasized that his actions went beyond simple threats, leveraging Son Heung Min’s fame to pressure advertisers and media outlets, which caused significant psychological distress to the footballer.
Throughout the trial, Miss A denied all charges but expressed remorse during the appeal hearing. “I want to apologize to Son Heung Min. I hope he can forgive my immature mistakes,” she said.
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