'Benz Female Prosecutor' Continues Legal Consulting Despite Losing Lawyer License... Prison Sentence

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[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] A former judge turned lawyer who lost his attorney license due to involvement in the Busan legal corruption 'Benz Female Prosecutor' case was sentenced to a suspended prison term for receiving money as payment for legal advice.

On the 30th, the Busan District Court Criminal Division 17 (Presiding Judge Kim Yong-jung) announced that A (57), who was tried for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, was sentenced to 6 months in prison with a 2-year suspension and was ordered to forfeit 8 million won received as payment for legal advice.

The court explained the sentencing reason, stating, "Considering that the defendant committed the crime again despite having a prior record of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, returned 8 million won after the investigation began, and attempted to conceal the crime, a prison sentence was chosen."

In April 2018, A received a request for civil and criminal cases from an acquaintance and entrusted the case to a lawyer at a law firm. A was indicted on charges of pocketing 8 million won, the difference from the 19 million won received from the acquaintance, after paying 11 million won as a retainer fee.

Previously, in April last year, A was tried for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act and was sentenced to 1 year in prison and detained in the first trial. At that time, A was accused of receiving 10 million won in May 2018 as payment for drafting criminal case documents and providing legal advice for an acquaintance's criminal case.

A's sentence was reduced to 8 months in the second trial. The verdict was finalized in September of the same year.

A is a former chief judge turned lawyer who was involved in the Busan legal corruption case known as the 'Benz Female Prosecutor' case in 2011, and in February 2015, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a 2-year suspension and lost his attorney license.

At that time, A's mistress, B, petitioned the prosecution, stating that "A requested a current prosecutor, with whom he was having an affair, to intervene in the case while handing over a Benz vehicle, corporate credit card, and luxury bags," which sparked the legal corruption scandal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.