50s Daughter Who Embezzled Over 100 Million Won Pension from 80s Dementia Mother Sentenced to Prison with Probation

A suspended prison sentence and a fine were respectively handed down to a woman in her 50s and her granddaughter in their 20s who misused pension insurance payments given to an elderly woman in her 80s with dementia. Photo by Pixabay

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[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] A court sentenced a woman in her 50s to a suspended prison term for misusing over 100 million won in pension insurance payments that were given to her mother in her 80s, who was suffering from dementia. The granddaughters in their 20s were fined.

On the 24th, the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 6 (Judge Park Hye-ran) announced that it sentenced A (55), who was charged with violating the Elderly Welfare Act, to 10 months in prison with a 2-year suspension and 120 hours of community service. Two granddaughters, including B (28), who committed the crime together with A, were each fined 8 million won and 3 million won.

A was prosecuted for withdrawing 300,000 won in cash from the account of her biological mother C (84) on April 6, 2018, for personal use, and for arbitrarily using a total of about 41.3 million won from C’s pension insurance payments, which were paid monthly at 4.3 million won for living expenses and maintenance until September 2020.

It was also investigated that B and the other granddaughter used approximately 47.7 million won and 14.7 million won respectively by similar methods. The Elderly Welfare Act prohibits the use of money or goods given as gifts or benefits to elderly people aged 65 or older for purposes other than those intended.

In the ruling, the court stated, "The defendants neglected the care of the victims, their mother or grandmother who suffered from dementia, and arbitrarily used the pension payments, which were provided for the victims’ living expenses, for personal expenses such as daily living costs and entertainment, thereby committing economic abuse." It added, "Considering the life of the victim who devotedly raised the defendants, the nature of the crime is extremely serious. Despite the victim’s son’s objections, the defendants continued to use the victim’s money arbitrarily without remorse. They have not repaid the victim’s money at all and have not been forgiven by the victim," explaining the reasons for sentencing.

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