Three Sentenced to Prison for Aiding Escape of Former Shinhan Investment Team Leader in 'Lime Scandal'

by Yoo Byeongdon

Published 01 Dec.2020 13:44(KST)

Prosecutors: "Intelligent crime to aid escape, serious nature of the offense"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The prosecution has requested prison sentences for three accomplices who helped former Shinhan Financial Investment team leader Shim Mo, a key figure in the Lime Asset Management scandal, to flee.

On the 1st, at the sentencing trial of Kim Mo held under the presiding of Judge Lee Sang-hoon of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 11, the prosecution requested a prison term of 1 year and 6 months. They also requested 1-year prison sentences for the other accomplices, Kim Mo and Bae Mo, who were indicted alongside him.

The three men, who are friends, are accused of aiding Shim, who is currently on the run, by delivering tens of millions of won, providing a hiding place, and supplying mobile phones registered under other people's names.

The prosecution stated the reason for the request, saying, "The crime is serious as they intelligently committed the offense by using multiple mobile phones to help Shim flee and involving a third party to make it difficult to trace call records."

Meanwhile, Shim, who was helped to escape by these men, was sentenced in the first trial to 5 years in prison and fined 300 million won for charges including receiving a request from Kim Jung-soo, chairman of 'Lead,' a KOSDAQ-listed company funded by Lime's money, and connecting him with former Lime vice president Lee Jong-pil. When the prosecution requested an arrest warrant in November last year, Shim fled for about five months before being arrested in April this year along with former Lime vice president Lee Jong-pil and others.

Among those sentenced this time, the lawyer of Kim, who worked as Shim's driver, claimed, "The defendant did not know the specific charges against Shim and had no choice but to follow his orders."