Cheongdo County has filed a civil lawsuit against a man who falsely claimed to be a world-renowned sculptor and tricked the county into paying 297 million won (approximately $207,360) for sculptures that were never delivered as promised.
According to Cheongdo County on Wednesday, following the Daegu District Court’s verdict on Thursday, the fraudster was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, with probation and 120 hours of community service. He was convicted of violating laws related to the aggravated punishment of specific economic crimes (fraud). In response to the court’s ruling, the county has initiated civil proceedings against him.
The court ruled that an artist’s educational background and professional experience are key factors in the art market, particularly regarding the purchase and pricing of artwork. As a result, the court found that the man misrepresented his credentials in the contract with Cheongdo County was enough to constitute fraud.
In response, Cheongdo County quickly canceled the sales contract with the defendant, demanding the return of the 297 million won deposit (approximately $204,360) and filing a civil lawsuit for damages, including the recovery of the sculptures. The county has also decided to dismantle and sell the nine donated sculptures after they undergo a public art review process.
In a related case, the same individual deceived Sinan County in 2018 by posing as a famous artist who graduated from the University of Paris 7. He pitched a proposal to transform Hauido, the hometown of Nobel Prize-winning former President Kim Dae Jung, into Angel Island. The fraudster installed 318 sculptures, including an angel statue, and pocketed 1.9 billion won (approximately $1,327,100).
While Sinan County also filed fraud charges against him, the Daegu District Court acquitted him in this case, unlike the ruling in Cheongdo County’s lawsuit. The court acknowledged that he had misrepresented his credentials but determined that there was insufficient evidence of fraudulent intent in the Sinan case.
Reports indicate that Sinan County, which had been preparing a civil lawsuit, is now waiting to see if the prosecution will appeal the court’s verdict if he is ultimately convicted.