Comedian Lee Jin-ho, who was put on trial on charges of habitual gambling and drunk driving, has been sentenced to a prison term with probation in the first trial.
Judge Ahn Tae-yoon of Criminal Division 1 at the Yeoju Branch of the Suwon District Court sentenced Lee to one year and six months in prison suspended for three years, along with 120 hours of community service on September 1. The court stated, "All charges are recognized," adding, "The sentence was determined considering that the defendant is reflecting." Since this is a first-instance ruling, the outcome could change if either the prosecution or Lee appeals.
Lee was indicted on charges of habitually gambling by remitting a total of approximately 870 million won across 664 occasions to gambling sites to exchange them for cyber money between May 11, 2023, and October 14, 2024. Separately, he was also accused of driving about 70 kilometers from Incheon to Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on September 24 of last year with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.12 percent, a level subject to license revocation.
Previously, the police launched an investigation after receiving a grievance through the e-People portal requesting an investigation into Lee on gambling and fraud charges, and forwarded the case to the prosecution. The prosecution sought a two-year prison sentence for Lee during the sentencing hearing on the 14th of last month. At the sentencing hearing at the time, Lee stated, "I have lived every day in regret after committing a wrong," and added, "I will not do wrong again."
Meanwhile, Lee collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage in April, received treatment and rehabilitation at a university hospital in Seoul, and was discharged in late May. It is known that some paralysis symptoms remain, causing difficulties in communication and mobility.
Attending the sentencing hearing on this day walking on crutches and wearing a mask, Lee did not answer reporters' questions and wore a heavy expression before lowering his mask and making a hand gesture to reporters indicating that "it is difficult to speak" while bowing his head.
Photo = Yonhap News
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)