Im Chang-yong (49), a former professional baseball player charged with embezzling gambling funds, was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial.
According to the legal community on the 24th, Director General Kim Seong-jun of the 11th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court sentenced Im to 8 months in prison for fraud. The court explained the reasoning for the sentence, stating, "The defendant has not fully recovered the victim's funds and has not received forgiveness," but also noted, "It considered the fact that the victim lent money knowing it would be used for gambling."
The court also determined that Im posed no risk of flight, thus he was not taken into custody. After the trial, Im told reporters, "I find it difficult to accept the verdict," and "I will appeal."
Im was indicted on charges of borrowing approximately 80 million won in gambling funds from an acquaintance in Manila, Philippines, in December 2019 and failing to repay it. During the court proceedings, his charges were changed, indicating he borrowed a total of over 150 million won, of which only 70 million won was repaid.
Im began his professional baseball career with the Haitai Tigers in 1995. He also played for the Samsung Lions and participated in the professional leagues in Japan and the United States, retiring the year after being released from the KIA Tigers following the 2018 season.