Former South Korea national golf team coach Ahn Sung-hyun, husband of Fin.K.L alum and actress Sung Yuri (44), has been acquitted on appeal after a lower court sentenced him to four years and six months in prison over allegations tied to a cryptocurrency listing request.
On Feb. 2, the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 13 overturned his conviction and found Ahn not guilty on charges including fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and accepting improper benefits in breach of trust. Ahn had been taken into custody after his first trial but was released on bail during the appeals process.
Prosecutors alleged that in September-November 2021, Ahn and former Bithumb Holdings CEO Lee Sang-jun accepted tens of billions of won in cash and perks to help list “A Coin” on the Bithumb exchange―claiming they received money, luxury watches and a high-end restaurant membership.
The appellate court rejected key testimony that Ahn was paid 30 or 50 billion won―in exchange for the listing request. It also found him not guilty on a separate fraud count alleging he deceived the requester to obtain 20 billion won.
The panel noted the prosecution’s narrative contained mutually conflicting premises―that Ahn and Lee agreed to take a bribe for the listing while also asserting Ahn independently defrauded the requester―undermining the credibility of the case. The court deemed Ahn’s account more consistent.
While the decision could still be appealed further, the ruling boosts the likelihood of reputational vindication for Sung Yuri, who publicly stood by her husband. The couple married in 2017 and are parents to twins. During Ahn’s legal battle, Sung has stayed active with new home shopping ventures and other projects.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)