Olympic fencer believed ex-fiancé had testicle transplant

Fencing Olympian and medalist Nam Hyun-hee not only called her ex-fiancé the “devil” but also pleaded innocence regarding her former paramour’s alleged scams.

Nam Hyun-hee speaks during her appearance on a CBS radio show Monday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Fencing Olympian and medalist Nam Hyun-hee not only called her ex-fiancé the “devil” but also pleaded innocence regarding her former paramour’s alleged scams.

She even claimed she believed the ex-fiancé had gotten her pregnant using testicles donated by a disabled sibling.

The 27-year-old ex-fiancé, Jeon Cheong-jo, who is legally a woman, is currently accused of fraud. Jeon also claimed she was the illegitimate scion of the hotel and casino giant Paradise Group.

Paradise Group has denied the claims by Jeon, who has spent two years in prison for fraud, including romance scams in which she played both the bride and the groom.

“While it seemed impossible, I trusted Jeon Cheong-jo’s words that she got a testicle transplant,” the 42-year-old Nam said while appearing on a CBS radio show on Monday.

Nam told the radio show host that her ex-fiancé said the Paradise Group had another son who was hidden from the public due to disabilities.

Nam said Jeon told her that she received the testicles from the other son when he became an adult.

Nam said she was suspicious at first that she’d been impregnated by a person who underwent gender reassignment surgery.

“Obviously, as I was suspicious, I searched the internet,” Nam said. “But because there were limits [to what you could learn on the internet], I cautiously asked Jeon if it were possible, and she told me that she got a testicle transplant.”

Nam also said all of the pregnancy tests that she took at home came out positive. Nam previously said the test kits were pre-opened when she received them from Jeon.

She thought it was strange because she had her period three to four weeks later.

But she said when she discussed the issue with a relative, they raised the possibility of the bloody discharge being implantation bleeding.

Nam claimed that Jeon had prevented her from checking her pregnancy at the hospital.

Nam claimed that while she had her suspicions about the pregnancy, she believed — considering Jeon’s family background and advancements in medical science — that getting pregnant by somebody who had undergone gender reassignment surgery might be possible.

A photo of Jeon Cheong-jo provided by Gangseo District Council member Kim Min-seok. [JOONGANG ILBO]

She said that she wasn’t the only person who Jeon persuaded.

“It wasn’t just me,” Nam said. “Everyone suspected Jeon when they first met her.”

“However, when we asked anything suspicious, she was really good at giving convincing answers, including to teachers at my academy and students’ parents,” Nam said.

When asked by the show host what Jeon’s motive for approaching her might have been, the Olympian said, “It seemed she needed my name and face.”

“In retrospect, I think Jeon’s final target was me,” Nam said.

Nam claimed that Jeon seemed to have used her to approach people around her.

“When she first made a business proposal, she said we had to move into Signiel Residence as their business targets the children of the wealthiest 0.01 percent,” Nam said. “She said she would buy a 10 billion won residence under my name.”

Signiel Residence is in Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul. The most expensive unit costs 33.4 billion won ($24.7 million).

Nam said at first, she refused because of the burden of receiving such an expensive residence as a gift.

But she said Jeon kept insisting. She said she agreed to move into the luxury apartment, but only if the residence was not under her name.

Nam also claimed that Jeon kept giving her luxury goods, saying that to meet the parents of the wealthiest children in Korea, she needed to dress up.

“I still have those items, and I want to return them all,” Nam said.

The goods she reportedly received from Jeon included a Bentley Bentayga worth over 300 million won and a Christian Dior bag worth 8 million won.

Nam Hyun-hee's Bentley Bentayga worth over 300 million won, which was given as a gift from Jeon Cheong-jo. [NAM HYUN-HEE INSTAGRAM]

“Whenever we had an argument, and I told her I would leave, Jeon always cried and begged for forgiveness with both knees on the ground,” Nam said.

She said her family is going through hell, including her daughter.

“Honestly, all of my family is having trouble eating and sleeping,” Nam said. “My daughter has stopped attending school, and my academy has closed.

“We are living through the worst situation.”

She apologized to the victims of Jeon’s fraud, saying she wanted to help people through sports.

“Because I was ignorant and my family was ignorant, I apologize to everyone who cherished me for causing such concerns,” Nam said. “Among the fraud victims are people I have never met before.”

Nam said she plans to file a lawsuit against her ex-fiancé.

Nam and her ex-fiancé made headlines a week ago after a monthly lifestyle magazine interviewed the couple.

However, people who knew Jeon as a woman and victims of Jeon’s fraud surfaced soon after.

Jeon tricked some of the victims with promises of marriage, including a case where she pretended to be a man and another where she was the bride-to-be.

Jeon’s father is also reportedly a con artist wanted by the authorities. JTBC, a broadcasting station, reported that the father committed romance scams, too, swindling some victims out of as much as 1.6 billion won.

A travel ban was slapped on Jeon on Saturday.

BY JEONG HYE-JEONG, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]