South Korean Woman Sentenced for Blackmailing Football Star Son Heung-min

Mon Dec 08 2025 21:44:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A woman in South Korea has been sentenced to four years in prison for blackmailing football star Son Heung-min, claiming pregnancy and extorting money in the process. The case highlights the exploitation faced by celebrities.

A Seoul court sentenced a woman in her twenties to four years in prison for blackmailing Son Heung-min by falsely claiming to be pregnant. Along with her accomplice, she extorted approximately $200,000 from the football star before he reported the case to the authorities. The judge noted the mental anguish Son experienced due to the threats, marking a significant case of celebrity exploitation in South Korea.

A South Korean court has sentenced a woman who blackmailed football star Son Heung-min to four years in prison.

The woman in her 20s and her accomplice, a man in his 40s, were found guilty of blackmailing the former Tottenham captain by claiming she was pregnant with his child.

The woman approached Son last year, alleging she was carrying his child, although she was unsure of the validity of her claim, a Seoul district court reported.

She extorted 300 million won (about $200,000) from him, threatening to go public with her claim if he did not comply.

The woman reportedly spent the money on luxury goods, according to AFP news agency.

[The woman] insists she received the money as compensation and portrays herself as a victim, prosecutors told the court, insisting her narrative did not correlate with the evidence, accusing her of premeditated criminal conduct.

The man's actions during the scheme included threatening Son 15 separate times to coerce the payment, leading to a two-year jail term for attempted blackmail.

Upon further demands for money this year, Son reported the incidents to the police.

In delivering the sentence, the judge highlighted how the woman and her accomplice exploited Son's celebrity status and noted that he experienced intense mental anguish following the media exposure.

In October, Son was recognized as the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer (MLS), following his recent transfer to the Los Angeles Football Club, marking a historic move after a decade with Tottenham.

Celebrated as one of Asia's top football talents, Son is immensely popular both in his home country and throughout the region.

In 2022, while still with the Spurs, he made history as the first Asian player to clinch the Premier League's golden boot award as the league's top scorer.