In a shocking turn of events, a South Korean court has sentenced a woman to four years in prison for blackmailing football star Son Heung-min. The woman, along with her accomplice, had falsely claimed that she was pregnant with his child and extorted money from him.
The woman in her 20s and her accomplice, a man in his 40s, were found guilty of blackmailing the former Tottenham captain. She had approached Son last year claiming she was carrying his child when she did not know whether that was true or not. This information came to light during the hearing at a Seoul district court. The duo threatened to go public with their false allegation if he did not comply with their demands. They managed to extort $300 million won ($200,000; £153,000) from him which they spent on luxury goods and designer items as reported by AFP news agency.
Prosecutors painted an unflattering picture of the culprits during the trial on Monday. "[The woman] insists she received the money as compensation and portrays herself as a victim," they said. However, they pointed out inconsistencies in her claims accusing her of planning this crime thoroughly. Her accomplice who had threatened Son 15 times to extract money was handed down a two-year jail term for attempted blackmail.
Turning point
When these criminals demanded more money this year, Son decided it was time to involve law enforcement authorities leading them straight into police custody. The judge noted that both individuals abused Son's celebrity status for their crime causing him intense mental anguish especially after it became public knowledge through media reports.
Son Heung-min is no ordinary footballer; he is one of Asia's best football stars enjoying immense popularity both in his home country and the region. He was named the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer (MLS), North America's top-tier football league akin to England's Premier League, in October.
In August, he left Tottenham after 10 years of service to join the Los Angeles Football Club marking the most expensive transfer in MLS' history. In 2022, while still with Spurs, he made history by becoming the first Asian to win the Premier League's golden boot award presented annually to the leading goal scorer in the league. This case serves as a stark reminder of how fame can sometimes attract unwanted attention and trouble. It also highlights Son Heung-min's strength and resilience amidst such a challenging situation while continuing his successful career on an international platform.
