A man suspected of murdering his daughter’s friend is accused of spending the donations he raised over the last 13 years to treat his daughter’s rare disease for his own personal use.
The 35-year-old murder suspect Lee Young-hak received donations of around 1 billion won ($886,053) between 2005 and 2017 through his daughter and deceased wife’s accounts, according to Jungnang police, Tuesday.
The money came from citizens who donated funds to treat his daughter who suffers from gigantiform cementoma, a rare disease involving dental tumors, which he also suffers from.
Lee had gained public sympathy by making TV appearances as a father dedicated to treating his daughter.
His arrest early this month thus came as a great surprise to many who believed him to be an exemplary father.
Public fury further rose when it was revealed Lee owned luxurious cars and led to suspicions he may have used the donated money for purposes other than treating his daughter.
Police have launched a team to investigate the exact amount of money he received in donations and how he spent it.
They plan to look into the accounts of his family members and acquaintances, suspecting he may have received more money through other accounts.
His account records indicate 160 million won was transferred to Seoul National University Hospital, where his daughter is believed to have undergone surgery five times between 2005 and 2015.
However, it is also possible that Lee may have fabricated the transaction details. Police are looking into the exact cost of the surgery by analyzing records obtained from the hospital and plan to confirm the details with the surgeon involved.
Also in question is how Lee spent the rest of the money amounting to 800 million won. Police are looking into the expenditure details of credit cards he used over the past decade.
He may be charged with fraud if he is found to have spent the money elsewhere.
Lee was arrested Oct. 5 on charges of killing a 14-year-old girl, Sept. 30, and burying her body on a hillside in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. His daughter is suspected of helping him bury the corpse.
According to police Lee exhibited a sadistic sexual propensity and unstable mental state.
They are also looking into the suicide of his wife who left a note claiming he sexually abused her. She also filed a complaint with police on Sept. 1, four days before committing suicide, against her father-in-law for sexually abusing her for eight years.