Woman who blackmailed South Korean football star Heung-min is sentenced to four years in prison

A South Korean court sentenced a woman for using fraudulent pregnancy claims to extort Son Heung-min for $200,000.

The 20-year-old woman who blackmailed football player Son Heung-min was given a four-year prison sentence by a South Korean court.

The woman was found guilty of extorting $300 million won ($200,000; £153,000) from her accomplice, a man in his 40s, for claiming she was expecting Son’s child. In the event that he did not comply, they threatened to make the accusation public.

According to local media, the lady told the court last year that she was pregnant with Son’s child, although she was unsure if this was real. According to AFP, she bought designer and luxurious items with the money.

On Monday, prosecutors told the court: “[The woman] portrays herself as a victim and insists she received the money as compensation.” However, the facts do not fully align with her assertions, which accuse her of “thoroughly” plotting the crime.

Son was given a two-year term for attempted blackmail by her accomplice, who made fifteen threats to obtain the money. Son went to the police when they asked for additional money this year.

The judge claimed that Son had suffered “intense mental anguish” following the media coverage of the case and that the woman and her accomplice had exploited Son’s fame for their illegal activity.

After playing for Tottenham for ten years, Son joined Los Angeles Football Club in August, making him the second-highest paid football player in Major League Soccer. Considered by many to be among Asia’s top football players, Son is incredibly well-liked both in his native nation and around the region.

As a Spurs player in 2022, he became the first Asian to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot title, which is given to the top goal scorer each year.