A 40-year-old broadcaster, who is accused of running a mukbang fraud by falsely promising to promote businesses on his video channel, has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison.
According to the legal community on the 30th of last month, the Jeju District Court sentenced Mr. A to imprisonment for fraud. Beginning in September 2021 and continuing until August 2024, Mr. A defrauded over 100 restaurant and cafe owners in areas such as Jeju, Daegu, and Incheon, obtaining approximately 351 million won from them by promising to promote their stores on his channel.
He led victims to believe that comedians originating from broadcasting station open recruitment would appear on his channel, and indeed, some videos featured famous comedians. He additionally reassured victims by promising a monthly advertisement revenue of 100,000 won and coverage of delivery app fees, even if promotional effects were minimal.
Investigations revealed that Mr. A lacked the capability to produce the promised videos and was burdened with massive debts.
The court stated, “The crime is serious as it involves fraud against multiple victims, and most have not forgiven the defendant,” but also considered, “the defendant’s admission of guilt, reflection, and settlements with some victims” when deciding the sentence.
Both the prosecution and the defense have appealed the first trial’s decision, claiming that the sentencing was unfair. The prosecution believes the sentence is too lenient, while the defense argues it is too harsh.