"If You Give Me the LH Deposit, I'll Handle Everything" — Suspended Sentence for Tenant Who Deceived Landlord

On the 30th, the legal community reported that the Seoul Northern District Court's Criminal Division 4, presided over by Judge Lee Chang-yeol, sentenced Mr. A (49), who was indicted on fraud charges, to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of community service. As a tenant, Mr.
A was prosecuted for deceiving the landlord, Mr. 95 million won under the pretense of returning the deposit. Investigations revealed that Mr. A neither had the authority to return the deposit nor any intention to transfer the money to Mr.
B. The building Mr. A rented was a property subleased to him by the Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH), which had leased it from Mr.
B with support from the National Housing Fund. The original lease agreement was signed in August 2018, and the lease was renewed in 2020 and 2022. Although only LH had the authority to return the deposit, Mr.
A lied to Mr. B, claiming, "I have confirmed with LH, so if you return the deposit to me, I will take care of everything. " It was also found that Mr.
A had two prior convictions for similar offenses, including time served. The court stated, "The defendant actively deceived the victim to obtain the lease deposit," and criticized, "Given the nature of the offense, the defendant bears significant culpability. " However, the court also noted, "The sentence was determined in consideration of the defendant's admission of guilt and remorse, as well as the fact that an amicable settlement was reached with the victim, who no longer wishes to pursue punishment.
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jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter