Olympian fencer’s ex-fiancé receives 12-year prison term for fraud

Social Affairs

Published: 14 Feb. 2024, 14:49 Updated: 15 Feb. 2024, 13:54

Olympian fencer’s ex-fiancé receives 12-year prison term for fraud

Jeon Cheong-jo taken to the prosecutors' office from Songpa police station on Nov. 10, 2023. [YONHAP]

The court sentenced Jeon Cheong-jo, former fiancé of Olympian Nam Hyun-hee, who falsely claimed to be the third generation scion of a Korean casino and hotel conglomerate, to 12 years in prison.

The Seoul Eastern District Court on Wednesday found Jeon guilty of defrauding 3 billion won ($2.2 million) from 27 victims.

Jeon was indicted on charges of fraud and forging public and private documents, including fabricating an identity card to pose as a male.

The 28-year-old approached her victims by flaunting connections with influential figures, including Lee Boo-jin, Hotel Shilla president and daughter of late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, portraying herself as an illegitimate child of a major casino and hotel conglomerate.

She had collected 3 billion won as investments in unlisted shares offshore, citing a secret investment strategy known only to the top Korean conglomerate families.

Some victims were parents of students attending the fencing school in Gangnam run by the 42-year-old Olympian.

Prosecutors emphasized that Jeon committed the crimes to lead a luxurious life with the swindled money.

Jeon claimed that all of the criminal proceeds were given to the 42-year-old Olympian fencer Nam.

Among the items Jeon had gifted Nam included a 300 million won Bentley Bentayga, as well as a 14 million won Chanel makeup bag and a Dior Medium Toujours Bag.

Jeon, who had prior fraud convictions and several prison terms, came into public view when a magazine published an article in October last year introducing her as the Olympian fencer's fiancé, supposedly a third-generation scion of a major conglomerate, shortly after Nam had divorced her husband.

Following the engagement news, suspicions arose regarding Jeon’s claimed affiliation with the conglomerate and her gender identity.
Soon, Jeon’s criminal past, mainly involving romance scams, was exposed to the public.

The prosecutor’s office has requested a 15-year sentence for Jeon and seven years for her accomplice, who posed as her bodyguard.

The court sentenced the accomplice only identified as Lee 18 months in prison.

Fencer Nam is also being investigated by the police on her involvement.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]