Former T-ara member Lee Ahreum and her boyfriend have been indicted for allegedly borrowing over 30 million KRW (~20,930 USD) from fans and acquaintances and failing to repay the amount.

On January 21, the Ansan Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office announced that Ahreum’s boyfriend, identified as 'A,' had been arrested and indicted on fraud charges, while Lee Ahreum was indicted without detention.

The two are accused of borrowing approximately 37 million KRW (~25,813 USD) from three individuals, including fans and acquaintances, and failing to repay the money. The victims filed complaints with the police between March and May 2024, claiming that Lee borrowed money citing personal reasons involving her boyfriend but never repaid it. Prosecutors believe 'A' played a leading role in the crime and have detained him.

On January 17, Lee Ahreum was sentenced to 8 months in prison, deferred by a probationary period of 2 years for child abuse and defamation. If no similar crimes are committed during the probationary period, the prison sentence will be voided. She was also ordered to complete 40 hours of child abuse prevention education.

Lee Ahreum was accused of verbally abusing her ex-husband in front of their children, causing emotional distress, and publicly defaming an individual who shared a court ruling about her boyfriend during a live internet broadcast. The court stated that Lee admitted to the child abuse charges and acknowledged that her actions caused mental harm to the lawful custodian of the children.

Although Ahreum claimed she did not intend to defame, the court found her statements during the broadcast were made without verifying facts and concluded they had defamatory intent.

On the same day, Lee Ahreum’s mother was also convicted of child abuse and sentenced to 4 months in prison, suspended for 1 year. She was accused of neglecting her grandchildren during incidents in 2021 and 2022 when her daughter verbally abused her ex-husband.

Ahreum joined T-ara as a member in 2012 but left the group after just one year. She married an older businessman in 2019 and had two sons. After finalizing her divorce in December 2023, Lee Ahreum announced plans to remarry her current boyfriend, 'A.'

During her marriage, Lee Ahreum accused her ex-husband of child abuse and shared alleged domestic violence photos. However, after an investigation, her ex-husband was cleared of all charges. Ahreum subsequently remarried and gave birth to her third child last year, and she is currently pregnant with her fourth.

SEE ALSO: Former T-ara member Lee Ahreum sentenced to probation for child abuse