Couple Sentenced to 20 and 17 Years in Prison for Gaslighting Victim Out of 8.7 Billion Won

▲ Seoul Southern District Court

A married couple who gaslighted a victim into handing over billions of won by pretending to be a shaman has been sentenced to lengthy prison terms in their first trial.

On July 14, the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Agreement Division 13 (Presiding Judge Seo Bo-min) sentenced Jang (49) and Shim (47), who were indicted on charges including fraud and extortion under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes, to 20 years and 17 years in prison, respectively.

The court also ordered them to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program and imposed a three-year employment restriction at institutions related to children and the disabled.

Furthermore, the court ordered the couple to jointly pay 8.31405 billion won in damages, along with delayed interest (5% per annum), and ordered the husband, Jang, to pay an additional 459 million won that he had extorted separately.

Presiding Judge Seo stated the reasons for the sentencing, saying, "Given the circumstances and methods of the crimes, it appears the defendants planned their actions meticulously. The victim has lost most of their assets and is suffering from significant mental distress due to this case."

However, the court acquitted them of some charges, including violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (intimidation using filmed material), as some of the criminal acts occurred before the relevant laws were enacted.

The couple, who were married, met the victim, Yoo, at a parents' gathering around 2018 and approached them by claiming they knew a gifted shaman named "Jo Mal-rye."

Pretending to be the shaman, they coerced Yoo into recording sexually explicit videos and threatened to reveal them to the victim's family, ultimately stealing assets worth 8.7 billion won, including a share in an apartment worth 1 billion won and other property worth 7.7 billion won.

The investigation also revealed that they manipulated the victim by claiming it was a way to cure a disability, telling the victim they "must leave their family and move elsewhere," or threatening that if the victim ignored their instructions, harm would befall their children.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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