From "Overseas Gambling" to a "300 Million Won Fraud": An Ji-man Sentenced to 1 Year and 8 Months in Prison, Citing Use of His Fame as a Baseball Player

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

An Ji-man (43), who served as a key relief pitcher for the Samsung Lions dynasty, was ultimately sentenced to prison for fraudulently obtaining over 300 million won.

According to NEWSIS on the 14th, Judge Jeon Myeong-hwan of the Criminal Division 11 of the Daegu District Court sentenced An Ji-man, who had been indicted on charges of fraud, to one year and eight months in prison.

An Ji-man was prosecuted on charges of swindling a total of approximately 300 million won by borrowing money from victims under the pretext of needing funds for attorney fees and building construction costs between December 2015 and October 2017, and then failing to repay it.

This period coincided with significant turbulence in An Ji-man's playing career. While undergoing investigation and trial related to an overseas gambling incident, he received a total of 94 million won from one victim under the pretext of attorney fees, promising, "I will repay you once the case is resolved and I receive my salary." He also borrowed 132 million won and 96 million won respectively from two other victims, claiming that funds were needed for building construction in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

However, it was investigated that An Ji-man already owed approximately 2 billion won at the time, and that he had planned to use the borrowed money to pay off existing debts or loans. The court explained the sentencing rationale, stating, "The defendant utilized his status as a famous baseball player in committing the crime," and "Despite a long period having passed since the date of borrowing, he has not repaid the damages except for partial payments, nor has he reached an agreement with the victims."

This fall contrasts sharply with his glorious playing days. After graduating from Daegu High School, An Ji-man was drafted by Samsung in the second round, fifth pick (40th overall) of the 2002 rookie draft. He debuted in the first division in 2003 and established himself as a representative relief pitcher for the "Samsung Dynasty" of the 2010s while playing exclusively for Samsung.

In particular, he served as the core of the winning formula during the period from 2011 to 2014 when Samsung achieved the first four consecutive combined championships in KBO League history. He recorded 28 holds in 2012, 22 holds in 2013, and 27 holds in 2014, followed by a personal single-season record of 37 holds in 2015. In 2015, he also became the first player in KBO League history to reach the milestone of 150 career holds.

His KBO career statistics are 60 wins, 35 losses, 15 saves, and 177 holds in 593 games, with an ERA of 3.59. The 177 holds remained the all-time record for the KBO League for a long time, but were surpassed this year when Kim Jin-seong (LG) recorded 178 holds.

An Ji-man's playing career collapsed rapidly due to gambling-related incidents. He was excluded from the Korea Series roster after being implicated in the 2015 overseas gambling scandal, and the following year, while under investigation for charges related to establishing an illegal sports betting site, Samsung requested contract termination from the KBO.

In 2018, charges including operating a gambling space in the aforementioned case were found guilty, resulting in a finalized sentence of six months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. The KBO also imposed a one-year suspension on An Ji-man that same year.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original