An Seong-hyun, husband of actress Sung Yu-ri, faces Supreme Court ruling today (the 12th) over coin fraud charges

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A Supreme Court decision is expected regarding pro golfer An Seong-hyun, who was indicted on charges of embezzling several billion won under the pretext of listing virtual assets on an exchange, but was found not guilty in the second instance.

The Second Division of the Supreme Court (presiding Justice Oh Kyung-mi) will deliver its ruling on the 12th in the appeal trial involving An Seong-hyun, who faces charges including violation of the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (fraud), and former Bithumb Holdings CEO Lee Sang-jun, who faces charges of receiving bribes through breach of trust, among four others.

An Seong-hyun and the former CEO were charged with receiving several billion won from businessman Kang Jong-hyun in exchange for a request to list two so-called "kimchi coins" on Bithumb between September and November 2021 (receiving bribes through breach of trust). Bithumb Holdings is the largest shareholder of Bithumb Korea, the operator of Bithumb.

The Prosecution Service determined that An Seong-hyun and the former CEO received 3 billion won in cash from Mr. Kang, two luxury watches worth 400 million won, and a high-end restaurant membership card worth 11.5 million won from Song, an official at a coin issuance company, and applied charges including receiving bribes through breach of trust accordingly.

Additionally, it was investigated that the former CEO received luxury goods worth approximately 44 million won from Mr. Kang, including a 3 billion won designer bag and high-end clothing. An Seong-hyun also faces charges of separately swindling 2 billion won by deceiving Mr. Kang, claiming that "the former CEO is demanding the 2 billion won listing request fee quickly."

They were indicted without detention in September 2023, but in December of the following year, three individuals excluding Song received prison sentences in the first instance and were all detained in court. The first-instance court sentenced An Seong-hyun to four years and six months in prison, the former CEO to two years in prison and a forfeiture of 50.025 million won, and Mr. Kang to one year and six months in prison.

However, the second instance overturned the first-instance ruling, finding An Seong-hyun not guilty. The former CEO was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year suspended sentence and a forfeiture of 11.525 million won, while Mr. Kang received a one-year prison sentence with a two-year suspended sentence. Song was found not guilty, the same as in the first instance.

An Seong-hyun debuted as a professional golfer in 2005 and served as a coach for the South Korea national golf team's reserve squad from 2014 to 2018. He married actress Sung Yu-ri, a former member of the group Fin.K.L, in 2017, and they have twin daughters.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original