Police Officer Who Received Over 100 Million Won from Multi-Level Marketer Acquitted

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A police officer who was prosecuted for receiving around 100 million won from illegal multi-level marketing and door-to-door sales operators on charges of bribery through mediation has been acquitted.

The Supreme Court's First Division (Presiding Justice Park Jung-hwa) announced on the 8th that it upheld the lower court's ruling of not guilty in the appeal trial of police officer A, who was charged with bribery through mediation under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

In December 2015, A was charged with receiving 150 million won from illegal multi-level marketing and door-to-door sales operator B, saying, "My sister's rental car business is struggling, so please lend me 300 million won." It was confirmed that B had also given A between 500,000 and 3 million won several times under the pretext of holiday rice cake money. B showed such favor because A had helped him hire a lawyer when a family criminal case occurred in the past. It was investigated that A, having received this, confirmed details related to cases involving B.

The first trial recognized A's charges and sentenced him to 1 year and 10 months in prison. However, the second trial acquitted A, stating there was no clear evidence to recognize his guilt. The court pointed out that at the time A received the money, there was no special case found that would justify overlooking B in exchange for the large sum of 150 million won.

It was also a basis for the not guilty verdict that A appeared to have written an IOU when receiving the money and had previously borrowed money without collateral. The prosecutor appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed it.

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