On August 13, the 5th Criminal Appellate Division of the Suwon District Court overturned the previous verdict and sentenced former T-ara member Lee A-reum (31) to one year of probation (four months in prison if violated) and her boyfriend, A, to one year and four months in prison.
Previously, the first instance court sentenced Lee Ahreum to two years of probation (six months in prison if violated) and A to one year and six months in prison.
The appeals panel stated, “Lee Ahreum knew that A was defrauding fans and participated in the conspiracy. She repeatedly committed fraud against victims, making her culpable. However, considering that she regretted her actions and had reached an agreement with some of the victims, the first instance sentence was deemed somewhat harsh and inappropriate.”
Regarding A, the judge stated, “She committed fraud repeatedly and the total amount of losses was substantial, making her culpable. However, she has reached an agreement with some of the victims and fully admitted her actions.”
Lee Ahreum and A were accused of borrowing approximately 37 million won (approximately Rp443 million) from three victims, including fans and acquaintances, but failed to repay it. The victims filed a police report in March of last year, claiming that “Lee Ahreum borrowed the money under the pretext of personal issues with her boyfriend, but has not yet returned it.”
In addition to this case, Lee Ahreum also sparked controversy after accusing her ex-husband of child abuse. Her ex-husband then filed a complaint against Lee Ahreum and her mother in February of last year for alleged violations of the Child Welfare Act (child abuse, neglect, and abandonment) and child abduction.
Last January, Lee Ahreum was sentenced to two years’ probation (eight months in prison if violated) on charges of child abuse and defamation, but she has appealed.
Meanwhile, Lee joined the girl group T-ara in 2012 and left the group the following year in 2013.
Lee married a businessman two years her senior in 2019 and had two sons. However, she filed for divorce in December 2023. She later sued her ex-husband for child abuse, but the case was dismissed without charges.
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