Actress Im Seong-eun (41) found herself embroiled in fraud allegations surrounding her husband A after just nine days of marriage, and through her legal representative stated that "most of the claims are unfounded," warning of strong legal action. Meanwhile, comments from some netizens claiming to be "victims" continued on Im Seong-eun's social media.
On the 26th, the legal representative of Im Seong-eun's husband A, the law firm Yoo Seung, stated in an official position that "most of the reported articles are inaccurate, and a reporter accompanying a creditor unlawfully intruded into the private wedding, carrying out illegal filming and coverage," adding, "a complaint against the reporter and the creditor was filed on May 19, and an investigation is currently underway."
Earlier, Dispatch reported that A has a history of several real estate frauds in the past and is currently under investigation and trial for allegedly embezzling hundreds of billions of won under the guise of a housing association (local housing cooperative) project. A is also accused of collecting tens of millions of won from association members under the guise of operational fees and contribution fees, then paying hundreds of millions of won to a business registered under an acquaintance's name. The extent of the damages is reported to exceed 20 billion won.
Shortly after the report, a recording was released indicating that A allegedly said during a phone call with a creditor, "Do you know why I'm getting married? To avoid being detained. Seong-eun's family is well off," which sparked public outrage. Additionally, claims emerged that A is not in a first marriage but a third, and that A went on a honeymoon to Jeju while under travel restrictions, further escalating the controversy.
Im Seong-eun's agency stated to OSEN after the report, "This is a private matter, and we are currently meeting with the parties involved to ascertain the facts. The agency was also unaware of any details regarding her husband in advance, and we will organize an official position as soon as possible."
In the meantime, comments claiming to be 'victims' of the housing association appeared on Im Seong-eun's personal Instagram, quickly spreading public opinion. Although Im Seong-eun posted about a performance on the 5th to communicate with fans, that post received comments such as "I am a real victim of the housing association. If you are innocent, please do not delete this comment" and "I also suffered damages. I couldn't hold back after reading the article." Some intensified their criticism, saying, "Consider the money received for the wedding as victim's money." Some comments have since been deleted.
The law firm Yoo Seung stated, "The content of the article was written without fact-checking, and we are considering civil and criminal measures regarding defamation and illegal acts," adding, "We are currently organizing an official position and plan to distribute materials formally."
Meanwhile, Im Seong-eun held her wedding with a non-celebrity businessman A on the 17th at a hotel in Gangnam, Seoul.
[Photo] Im Seong-eun, SNS
[OSEN]