Entertainment

Ilhoon, former member of Korean boyband BtoB, sentenced to 2 years for purchasing and using marijuana


Former BtoB boyband member Ilhoon (real name Jung Il-hoon) was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 133 million won ($158,000) on Thursday (June 10) for purchasing and using marijuana.

Seoul Central District Court senior judge Yang Cheol-han presided over the sentencing. According to Korean entertainment website Koreaboo, Yang also deemed it necessary to arrest 26-year-old Ilhoon in court as he was considered a flight risk.

The South Korean rapper’s crimes came to light in December 2020. He — along with seven other defendants — were on trial for buying 826g of marijuana worth 133 million won and smoking it 161 times between July 5, 2016 and Jan 9, 2019.

The prosecutor on the case previously asked for four years of jail time but Ilhoon’s lawyers pleaded for leniency, explaining that he had a difficult time as an idol.

They said: “The defendant is reflecting deeply on his actions… He worked in the entertainment industry at such a young age and he tried to relieve the stress in the wrong way.”

According to entertainment portal Soompi, the other seven defendants received jail terms varying between one and a half years and two years.

The court said: “The defendants communicated through the dark web in order for their crime to not be easily detected, and they used elaborate criminal methods such as making transactions with the cryptocurrency bitcoin.

Ilhoon and another defendant, identified as Park, were singled out as the leaders of the group by the court.

“The two defendants played leading roles and carried out the criminal acts the highest number of times,” the court said.

BtoB debuted in 2012 with seven members, and Ilhoon left the group last December when news of his drug use broke.

bryanlim@asiaone.com



READ SOURCE

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.