Seoul: An appellate court on Thursday sentenced a former fiance of Olympic fencing medalist Nam Hyun-hee to 13 years in prison for swindling dozens of people out of more than 3.5 billion won (US$2.5 million) under the guise of a chaebol heir. The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence to Jeon Cheong-jo, 28, citing her continued fraudulent activities even after previous convictions, including disguising herself as a man to date famous people.According to Yonhap News Agency, the court's recent ruling adds one year to a lower court's sentence of 12 years in prison. "Most of the money was spent on purchasing luxury items, making it difficult to reverse the damage to victims," the court noted. A total of 35 people were defrauded out of a combined 3.5 billion won. The court also expressed concerns about a "very high risk of a repeat offense."Jeon gained notoriety following revelations last year that she had been engaged to Nam, the silver medalist in women's foil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, under the false pretense of being an heir to the Paradise Hotel chain. The couple eventually broke up. Earlier this year, Jeon was sentenced to 12 years in prison and later received an additional four-year sentence in a separate case involving charges of assaulting and threatening Nam's nephew.The appellate court combined the two cases at Jeon's request, effectively reducing the overall prison term by three years. The prosecution had initially demanded a 20-year prison term for Jeon.
- October 12, 2026
