Two apprehended for trying to extort Son Heung-min with false pregnancy claim

Two people have been apprehended for allegedly trying to extort Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min by falsely claiming one was pregnant with his child.

Son Heung-min [NEWS1]

Two people have been apprehended for allegedly trying to extort Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min by falsely claiming one was pregnant with his child.

They demanded hundreds of millions of won in exchange for keeping the story private.

The Seoul Gangnam Police Precinct said Thursday that it is investigating a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s on charges of extortion and attempted extortion, respectively.

The woman allegedly threatened Son last June by claiming she was pregnant with his child and demanding money in return for her silence. The man, an acquaintance of the woman, reportedly approached Son’s representatives last March in a separate attempt to extort money.

Son’s representatives filed a police complaint on May 7, calling the pair’s claims “entirely false.” Police sought arrest warrants for the suspects on Monday, which were granted by a local court on Wednesday afternoon.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY KIM JI-HYE [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]