Ostem Embezzler Flip-Flops Between "Merge" and "Separate" Requests

Request to Merge Cases Involving Wife, Family, and Company Subordinates
Demand for Separate Trial Again at First Hearing After Merger

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Lee Mo (44), the finance team leader of Osstem Implant accused of embezzling 221.5 billion won of company funds, has once again reversed his position.

The Criminal Division 14 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Chief Judge Kim Dong-hyun) held the first trial session on the afternoon of the 20th for Lee, who is charged with violating the Act on the Regulation and Punishment of Criminal Proceeds Concealment, along with his wife and four family members, and employees accused of aiding Lee's embezzlement.

Previously, the court decided to consolidate the two cases after the prosecution additionally indicted Lee on charges of concealing criminal proceeds. This was in response to Lee's side requesting, "If the defendant is indicted for concealing criminal proceeds, we want the trial to be consolidated with this case (embezzlement)," adding, "If evidence is agreed upon in the embezzlement case but later disagreed, there is a risk of prejudice by the court, so we want the evidence admission or denial procedures to be handled together after the additional indictment."

However, at the trial on this day, Lee's side requested, "Since the evidence differs between the employees accused of aiding and the defendant, please separate the arguments," and the court responded, "We will separate the arguments of the employees accused of aiding." This means Lee's side reversed their position again during the first consolidated trial.

Nonetheless, the trial for Lee and his four family members charged with violating the Act on the Regulation and Punishment of Criminal Proceeds Concealment will proceed as is. During the trial, Lee's family members denied all prosecution allegations, stating, "It is true that we purchased luxury resort memberships, three officetels, and commercial buildings together with Lee, but we did not know the money came from embezzled funds."

According to the prosecution, Lee's wife, Park Mo, used part of the embezzled funds to purchase real estate and memberships worth approximately 7.5 billion won under her name and Lee's sister's name. Lee, along with his sister and father, used about 69 billion won of embezzled money to buy 855 gold bars weighing 1 kg each. Among the gold bars, 497 were found at Lee's hideout, 254 at his father's residence, and 100 at his sister's house.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office indicted Lee's wife, sister, and sister-in-law on the 22nd, applying charges of concealing criminal proceeds, concluding that they actively conspired with Lee to hide the criminal proceeds.

Additionally, two employees who worked together in the finance team were judged to have aided Lee's criminal acts despite knowing they were crimes, and were sent to trial on charges of aiding embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.

Lee is accused of siphoning off 221.5 billion won from corporate accounts to his own account eight times since March last year. Part of the embezzled funds was invested in stocks, resulting in a loss of about 76.1 billion won.

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