20s Woman Sentenced for Extorting Money by Falsely Accusing Man Met at Club of Sexual Harassment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] A woman in her 20s who falsely accused a man she met at a club of sexual harassment to extort money and was prosecuted has been sentenced to prison and taken into custody at the first trial.

On the 16th, Judge Jin Jae-kyung of the Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Western District Court announced that Hwang Mo (26), who was prosecuted on charges of extortion and false accusation, was sentenced to six months in prison and taken into custody in court.

Hwang and her boyfriend A met B and his group at a club near Hongdae Entrance Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in November 2018 and shared a drinking party. Later, when B was heavily intoxicated and could not remember the situation, Hwang threatened him by saying, "I will accuse you of sexual harassment," extorted money, and was charged with filing a false accusation.

The day after the drinking party, Hwang contacted B and said, "You sexually harassed me, so I will report you to the police." Her boyfriend A also called B, claiming he witnessed the harassment scene and demanded a settlement payment of 850,000 won. B, who could not remember the situation, agreed to pay the settlement and wrote a memorandum.

Later, Hwang called B again, saying, "There is vomit on my clothes, and even after washing, the smell does not go away," and demanded laundry expenses. When B refused, she threatened, "If you do not transfer the money within three days, I will accuse you," demanding 3 to 4 million won.

When B sent only the initially promised 850,000 won, Hwang filed a complaint against B with the police. However, the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the scene showed no evidence of sexual harassment. After checking the CCTV, Hwang changed her statement, saying, "I think I made a statement based on speculation. I accused him because I felt I was sexually harassed."

The court stated, "It can be sufficiently recognized that the accusation was actively fabricated and testified to, at least with a tacit awareness that the accusation was false," and pointed out, "It is highly blameworthy to fabricate false facts, testify specifically, and submit objective evidence to falsely accuse the victim."

Furthermore, the court explained the sentencing reason: "The defendant does not admit her wrongdoing regarding the false accusation, and regarding the extortion, she only accepts that her expressions were excessive during the settlement demand process, so severe punishment is inevitable." Hwang’s side appealed the verdict.

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