Lee Seong-jae, 57, a close associate of Geonjin Jeon Seong-bae, was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial. Lee has been called a so-called "legal broker" and is accused of taking money and asking Jeon for favors to influence court proceedings.
The Criminal Agreement Division 21 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-bok) on the 8th sentenced Lee, who is charged with receiving money for influence under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to two years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of 400 million won.
Lee is accused of receiving 400 million won in 2023 from a person surnamed Kim, who was under prosecution investigation on fraud charges, and asking Jeon for help to quash the investigation and for favorable treatment in court. The special counsel team of Min Joong-ki, which is currently investigating multiple allegations involving Kim Keon-hee, detained and indicted Lee on Aug. 18.
The court said, "By putting forward the shaman Jeon Seong-bae and claiming ties with the presidential couple, Lee took the large sum of 400 million won from Kim, who was in a desperate situation facing re-detention after being released on bail," and added, "This not only caused Kim financial loss but also inflicted serious harm on the general public's trust in the court's independence and fairness, making stern punishment inevitable," explaining the sentencing reasons.
This case is the first among those indicted by the three special counsel teams (rebellion, Kim Keon-hee, and death in the line of duty marine) to receive a first-trial verdict. At the sentencing hearing held on the 14th of last month, the special counsel team sought four years in prison and the forfeiture of 400 million won for Lee.
Lee is said to be so close to Jeon that he was called "Jeon Seong-bae's adopted son." The two are said to have known each other for about 20 years. They reportedly contacted each other 193 times over one year from the end of 2023 to the end of last year.