Woman Accused of Extorting $2.3 Million from Son Heung-min Claims to be Pregnant
A woman in her twenties, identified as 양모씨, and a man in his forties, 용모씨, have been indicted for extortion after allegedly demanding 300 million won (approximately $2.3 million) from South Korean football star Son Heung-min (손흥민), the captain of the national team and a player for Tottenham Hotspur.
According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, 양씨, who was previously in a relationship with 손씨, sent him an ultrasound image in June of last year, claiming she was pregnant and threatening to reveal this information unless he paid her. Initially, 양씨 attempted to extort money from another man regarding her pregnancy, but after receiving no response, she shifted her focus to 손씨.
After receiving the initial payment of 300 million won, 양씨 wrote a letter promising not to disclose the pregnancy. However, from March to May of this year, she allegedly threatened to expose the pregnancy again, demanding an additional 70 million won (around $54,000). It is reported that she spent the money on luxury items and, facing financial difficulties, sought to extort 손씨 a second time through her partner, 용씨.
The Gangnam Police Station received a complaint from 손씨 on July 7, leading to the arrest of 양씨 and 용씨 a week later. The court issued arrest warrants for both individuals on July 17, citing concerns over potential evidence tampering and flight risk.
Following the transfer of the case to the prosecution on July 22, further investigations revealed that the second extortion attempt, initially thought to be solely the work of 용씨, was actually a joint effort between him and 양씨.
A prosecutor stated, 'We will do our utmost to ensure that the defendants receive a sentence commensurate with their crimes.'
