The manager of an entertainment venue who extorted money from the late actor Lee Seon-kyun through threats has been sentenced to the same 7 years in prison in the appeal trial.
On the 21st, during the appeal trial for the entertainment venue manager A's charges of extortion and threats, held at the Incheon District Court's Criminal Appeal Division 3 (Presiding Judge Choi Seong-bae), the prosecution sought a 7-year prison sentence, the same as in the first trial.
On this day, the prosecution requested the court to "overturn the original ruling and sentence according to the original sentence."
A's lawyer stated in the final argument, "The defendant seems to have made a wrong choice out of fear while being threatened by an unidentified extortionist, and he is reflecting on this," adding, "This crime started from the threats of a co-defendant, and due to the defendant's profession and media attention, he is being excessively criticized compared to his actual actions."
Additionally, the lawyer requested the court to consider that there are other ongoing trials related to crimes in which the defendant was not involved and to clarify the illegality of the original judgment.
The sentencing hearing for former actor B, who was indicted on the same charges, could not proceed as B's lawyer did not appear.
In the first trial held in December 2023, A and B were sentenced to 3 years and 6 months and 4 years and 2 months, respectively. The defendants and the prosecution appealed, leading to the second trial.
A was arrested and indicted for extorting 300 million won from Lee Seon-kyun in September 2023, claiming over the phone that "his phone was hacked and he was being threatened, and he needed money for silence." Police investigations revealed that the hacker who threatened A was B, who lived in the same apartment and was a close acquaintance.
B, upon learning that A had used methamphetamine and that he knew Lee Seon-kyun, pretended to be the hacker using an illegal SIM card to threaten A. However, after failing to receive money from A, B directly threatened Lee Seon-kyun in October 2023 and ultimately extorted 50 million won.
A was arrested and indicted last year for using methamphetamine and marijuana and was sentenced to 1 year in prison.
B is reported to have appeared in minor roles in films produced in 2012 and 2015.
In relation to this, Lee Seon-kyun, who was under police investigation for drug use, was found dead near a park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, in December 2023, at the age of 48. His death concluded the case with no prosecution rights.
