Former T-ara Member Lee Areum Sentenced to Suspended Prison Term for Fraud, 37 Million Won
Lee Areum, former member of the girl group T-ara, has been sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year suspension after being found guilty of fraud involving approximately 37 million won (about $28,000 USD) and previous charges of child abuse and defamation.
Fraud Case Details
The Suwon District Court’s Ansan Branch sentenced Lee Areum on April 15, 2025, following an indictment without detention. The case emerged after multiple victims, including acquaintances and fans, filed complaints between March and May 2024, accusing Lee of borrowing money under personal pretenses and failing to repay it. Initially denying the charges by blaming hackers or her boyfriend, Lee later admitted to committing the fraud alone during police investigations.
Child Abuse and Defamation Convictions
Lee was previously convicted of child abuse and defamation, receiving an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years. The court found that she emotionally abused her children by verbally abusing her ex-husband in front of them and defamed an individual by publicly disparaging them during an internet broadcast. Lee’s mother was also sentenced to probation for neglecting her grandchildren in an environment where Lee verbally abused her ex-husband.
Personal Background
Lee Areum joined T-ara in 2012 and left in 2013. She married a businessman in 2019 and has two sons. The couple divorced in 2023. Lee remarried and gave birth to her third child in November 2024 and is currently expecting her fourth.
Legal and Public Impact
The court emphasized the severity of the mental damage caused to the children’s legal guardian and criticized Lee’s actions. The suspended sentence means Lee will avoid jail time if she complies with probation terms. The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting ongoing issues of accountability within the K-pop industry.
Previous article about her fraud and child abuse > Translation ex T-ara Lee A Reum’s boyfriend Suicide Attempt
Lee Areum Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leeseo0ju419/
