A South Korean court has sentenced a woman in her twenties to four years in prison for blackmailing football icon Son Heung-min. Her male accomplice, in his forties, was also convicted.
According to prosecutors, the pair targeted the former Tottenham Hotspur captain by claiming the woman was pregnant with his child. Local media reported that she approached Son sometime last year, even though she did not know whether the claim was true.
The Seoul district court heard that she extorted 300 million won ($200,000; £153,000) from Son and threatened to leak the allegation if he refused to pay. AFP reported that she used the money to buy luxury and designer items.
Court Says Scheme Was Carefully Planned Against Son Heung-min
Prosecutors told the court: “[The woman] insists she received the money as compensation and portrays herself as a victim. But her claims do not fully match the facts,” accusing her of planning the blackmail “thoroughly”.
Her accomplice, who issued 15 threats to Son in an effort to secure the money, received a two-year prison sentence for attempted blackmail.
When the pair pushed for more money this year, Son reported the matter to police.
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The judge criticised the duo for exploiting Son’s high-profile status and said the footballer had suffered “intense mental anguish” after the case became public.
Son, now playing for Los Angeles Football Club, was named the second-highest paid player in Major League Soccer in October. His move in August marked the most expensive transfer in MLS history after leaving Tottenham following a decade at the club.
Widely celebrated as one of Asia’s greatest footballers, Son remains hugely popular in South Korea and across the region. In 2022, he became the first Asian player to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
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