Siblings Open Mobile Phone Account and Take Loan in the Name of a Person with Intellectual Disability, Eventually...

[Financial News] Siblings in their 30s were sentenced to a fine for opening a mobile phone account and taking a loan in the name of a person with severe intellectual disability, and embezzling the money.

According to the legal community on the 27th, Judge Lee Jae-uk of the Ulsan District Court's Criminal Division 3 sentenced a woman in her 30s, Ms. A, and a man, Mr. B, to a fine of 10 million won each for charges including quasi-fraud.

The siblings deceived Mr. C, a person with moderate intellectual disability, in April 2023 by saying, "We will pay the overdue mobile phone bill for you, so please open a new mobile phone account. We will pay the mobile phone bill well and will not make small payments," and opened one mobile phone each in his name.

While using the mobile phone in Mr. C's name, they did not pay more than 1.5 million won in fees for about 7 months.

Furthermore, Ms. A took a loan of 2 million won using Mr. C's mobile phone and embezzled about half, sending only 590,000 won to Mr. C's account.

Moreover, she issued a bank mobile app card and made a total of 357 transactions worth 3.57 million won over two months on online shopping malls.

Mr. B, the brother, knowing that Mr. C had taken a loan from the bank, said, "The house is too small for three people to live in, so we need to move. Please lend me money," and received a transfer of 2.6 million won to his account.

Afterwards, he verbally abused Mr. C and shouted at him for not providing living expenses, emotionally abusing him.

The siblings committed these crimes knowing well about Mr. C's mental and physical disability, having lived in the same neighborhood with him since childhood.

The court stated, "Ms. A committed the crime during a repeat offense period for a different crime, and Mr. B has a history of being fined twice for similar offenses, yet they committed these crimes again," but also noted, "The defendants have admitted to all the crimes in this case, the amount of damage is not large, and they have agreed to pay Mr. C 6 million won." 


gaa1003@fnnews.com An Ga-eul Reporter