An office worker in his 50s who falsely reported “I stole company money”… Prosecutor ‘not guilty’

There was also a charge of ‘defamation’ by speaking to business partners.
Prosecutors “Omitted to report…believed it was true and sued”

An office worker who was handed over to the prosecution on charges of falsely accusing his partner of embezzling company money was not indicted.

On the 13th of last month, the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Western Branch acquitted Mr. A, a man in his 50s, on charges of false accusation.

In 2022, Mr. A sued his partner, Mr. B, on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. However, Mr. B was cleared of charges by the prosecution, and later counter-sued Mr. A on charges of false accusation.

In addition, Mr. B also claimed that Mr. A disclosed false information to his business partners, defaming him and interfering with the company's business.

Mr. A denied the charges. It was claimed that Mr. B withdrew about 200 million won from the company's bank account without permission and then disappeared, leaving no choice but to suspect embezzlement. The charge of defamation also emphasized that it was not intentional, just explaining the situation to a business partner who could mediate contact with Mr. B.

The prosecution determined that Mr. A was not guilty. The prosecution said, “During the payment process, a report was omitted and a misunderstanding occurred,” and “The suspect believed that the victim had actually committed embezzlement and filed a complaint.”

He added, “During the conversation with the business partner, no specific facts that could damage the plaintiff’s reputation were mentioned,” adding, “It is difficult to prove that the company’s order volume has decreased due to such remarks.”

Attorney Jang Ho-cheol of Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. A in this case, said, “Even if the reported information does not match the actual facts, if you thought it was the truth, a false accusation does not constitute a false accusation. Since Mr. B withdrew a large amount of money that determines the existence of the company, it can only be considered embezzlement, so it can be seen that there was no intention to falsely accuse.”

Digital Content Team

[View full article]
A 50-year-old office worker who falsely reported “I stole company money”… Prosecution ‘Not guilty’ (Shortcut)