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Former T-ara member Lee A-reum sentenced to suspended prison term for fraud

Published: 16 Apr. 2025, 14:46

Lee A-reum joined girl group T-ara in 2012 before leaving the next year. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A lower court sentenced Lee A-reum, former member of girl group T-ara, to a suspended prison term on Wednesday for defrauding fans and acquaintances by borrowing money and not repaying them.

The Suwon District Court’s Ansan branch handed a six-month prison sentence with two years of probation to Lee, who was indicted without detention on fraud charges.

The court also sentenced her boyfriend to 18 months in prison.

“The court considered the circumstances of the offense, the amount of damage and whether a settlement was reached,” the judge said.

Lee faced accusations beginning in late 2023 of borrowing money from fans and acquaintances under false pretenses.

Several alleged victims filed police complaints between March and May last year, claiming she failed to repay the borrowed funds.

Lee and her boyfriend are accused of borrowing approximately 37 million won ($26,000) from three individuals, including fans, and not returning the money.

In December 2024, the Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Lee’s boyfriend under detention and Lee without detention on fraud charges. Both the prosecution and Lee’s boyfriend appealed the verdict, with the former arguing the sentence was too lenient.

In a separate case, prosecutors also indicted Lee without detention on charges of abducting or luring a minor and defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

Lee joined T-ara in 2012 and left the following year. The girl group is known for songs like “Roly-Poly” (2011), “TTL” (2009) and “Bo Peep Bo Peep” (2009).

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]