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Shin Jung-hwan |
By Park Si-soo
Popular entertainer Shin Jung-hwan was sentenced to eight months in prison for illegal gambling, a court said Friday. He was taken to a prison immediately after the ruling.
The singer-turned-TV personality was indicted last year on charges of betting more than 200 million won ($185,000) at a casino in Cebu.
“A harsh punishment is unavoidable since this is the third act of illegal gambling he committed,” said Judge Lee Jong-un at the Seoul Central District Court. “He visited the casino upon arrival in Cebu. He lost all his money but continued gambling after borrowing more money there. He even skipped the recording of a TV program in Seoul, which is obviously evidence that he was addicted to gambling.”
The judge said he mitigated the sentence after taking into account that Shin has felt remorse for the wrongdoing and sustained a leg injury. The 37-year-old Shin was fined for illegal gambling in 2003 and 2005.
억대의 해외 원정도박을 벌인 혐의로 기소된 방송인 신정환(37)씨에게 실형이 선고돼 법정구속됐다.
서울중앙지법 형사10단독 이종언 부장판사는 3일 필리핀 세부의 한 카지노에서 2억여원으로 바카라 도박을 한 혐의(상습도박)로 불구속 기소된 신씨에게 징역 8월을 선고하고 법정구속했다.
재판부는 "동종전과로 2회나 벌금형을 받은 점이 있음에도 이번 범행을 저지른 점, 범행횟수나 기간•도박자금 규모 등에 비춰 죄질이 결코 가볍지 않다"고 밝혔다. 또 "세부에 도착하자마자 카지노를 찾았고 가진 돈이 없음에도 거액을 계속 빌려 도박을 한 점, 방송녹화 일정이 있음에도 귀국하지 않았던 점에 비춰 도박중독으로 보인다"고 발혔다.
재판부는 다만 "피고인이 범행을 뉘우치고 있고 수술한 다리의 치료가 끝나지 않은 점을 고려해 형을 정했다"고 덧붙였다.
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