Man Receives Prison Sentence In First Trial For Using Sister's Celebrity Status To Commit Fraud

The younger brother of a famous veteran trot singer has been sentenced in his first trial after scamming a lesser-known singer using his sister’s name.

On March 8, the Seoul District Courts sentenced Mr. Lee to an eight-month prison sentence on fraud charges.

Mr. Lee was accused of approaching A, a lesser-known singer, at a coffee shop in Yeoido on November 6, 2015. He told her, “If you give me 50 million won (approximately $44,000), I will get you on KBS’s ‘The Nationwide Singing Contest’ and ‘Gayo Stage’ eight times in the next two years.” The money was transferred to him three days later.

Mr. Lee admitted to saying to A, “My older sister is a famous singer, and I’ve been working as her manager. I’ve built up relationships with producing directors (PDs) through my work as her manager, so I can get you on major broadcasting company shows. If you don’t get any offers to appear on those programs in the next six months, I will return the money to you.”

The judge stated, “The defendant used the fact that his older sister is a celebrity to defraud the victim,” and “The amount of money he took was not a small amount, and the victim has continued to ask for a severe punishment as she feels as though much of the damages still remain despite the passing of time.”

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