Woman Who Tried to Blackmail Son Heung-min Jailed for Four Years

A court in South Korea has sentenced a woman to four years in prison for blackmailing football star Son Heung-min.

The woman, who is in her 20s, and a man in his 40s worked together to pressure the former Tottenham captain for money. They told Son that she was pregnant with his child, even though she did not actually know if it was true, the court heard.

She managed to take 300 million won (about $200,000 or £153,000) from Son. She also threatened to tell the public about the supposed pregnancy if he refused to pay. According to reports, she used the money to buy expensive luxury items.

Prosecutors said the woman pretended she was a victim and claimed the money was compensation, but her story did not match the facts. They said she had carefully planned the crime.

Her male accomplice, who contacted Son 15 times to demand money, was given a two-year prison sentence for attempted blackmail.

When the pair tried to get even more money from him this year, Son reported the matter to the police.

The judge noted that both individuals took advantage of Son’s fame and that the player suffered “serious mental distress” because the story became public.

Son was recently named the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer (MLS). In August, the 33-year-old left Tottenham after 10 years to join Los Angeles Football Club in what became the most expensive transfer in MLS history.

Son is one of Asia’s most famous footballers. In 2022, while still playing for Spurs, he became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot for top goal scorer.