Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Accuser of Celine Dion's husband has no money

Yun Kyeong Kwon Sung, left, and Ae Hoe Kwon, shown entering the Clark County Detention Center on March 7, do not have attorneys representing them in extortion cases. Photo by Amy Beth Bennett.

A woman who was paid $2 million by Celine Dion's husband to keep quiet about sexual misconduct allegations is broke, her attorney said Tuesday, and the woman lost most of the money gambling.

Defense attorney Robert Langford said Yun Kyeong Sung and her husband, Ae Hoe Kwon, can no longer pay Langford's fees.

"They are as poor as church mice," Langford said. "They've got no money."

And, to make matters worse for Sung, Langford confirmed federal immigration officials are planning to deport Sung to her native Korea.

"They have announced they eventually will be proceeding" with deportation, Langford said.

On Tuesday, Langford formally withdrew as defense counsel for Sung before District Judge Michael Douglas.

The woman faces charges that she failed to pay off about $950,000 in markers issued by Las Vegas casinos. Langford said he resigned primarily because Sung can no longer pay her legal bills.

Nearly two weeks ago, Langford also withdrew as defense counsel for Sung on charges she tried to extort Dion's husband, Rene Angelil, with allegations that Angelil sexually assaulted Sung at a Las Vegas hotel room.

Angelil has adamantly denied any wrongdoing.

Sung's husband, who is also charged with trying to extort Angelil, has lost his defense attorney as well.

JoNell Thomas declined to say why she withdrew from Kwon's case in July.

However, court records in the extortion case before District Judge Jackie Glass indicate Sung still believes she will be able to hire another attorney.

On Tuesday, Douglas ordered the Clark County public defender's office to interview Sung as a potential client. Records at the public defender's office show a county attorney has not yet been assigned to either Sung or Kwon's case.

Sung has said Angelil followed her to a hotel room at the Imperial Palace in 2000. At first, she said Angelil fondled her, but she did not immediately report the matter to police.

That year, Angelil paid Sung $2 million in a confidential settlement. Angelil did not admit any wrongdoing in making the payment.

Two years later, as Las Vegas authorities threatened to charge Sung with fraud for failing to pay off the markers from a Las Vegas casino, Sung made claims that Angelil had raped her, according to court records.

Authorities said Sung and Kwon sought an additional $20 million from Angelil through their civil attorneys, prompting Las Vegas police to lodge extortion charges against the couple.

Following the couple's arrest, Sung and Kwon continued to maintain that Angelil raped Sung. Kwon recently gave Las Vegas police a dress that Kwon said has Angelil's DNA on it.

The police returned the dress to Kwon without testing the garment because they said they have no credible information to support a sexual assault case. Police and prosecutors also have said Sung repeatedly failed to turn over the dress to police when previously asked to do so.

After Langford withdrew from Sung's case Tuesday, he confirmed that Sung's millions were lost at casinos.

"She lost the money at casinos," Langford said. "That's why they extended her $950,000 in markers across the nation."

Langford said Kwon doesn't have any money, either. Kwon works as a pastor at a church in the Los Angeles area.

Langford said Sung now faces federal deportation proceedings. When asked why, the attorney said Sung and Kwon originally came to the United States on her husband's visa. Kwon's visa eventually expired, and Sung did not promptly apply for the proper paperwork with immigration officials, Langford said.

During a recent bail hearing on the immigration proceedings, Langford said Clark County Deputy District Attorney L.J. O'Neale, who is prosecuting Sung and her husband, testified before federal officials.

Langford criticized O'Neale for appearing during the hearing.

"No one has ever heard of a state prosecutor testifying during a (immigration) bail hearing," Langford said.

But O'Neale said Langford's criticism was off base.

O'Neale said he was asked to appear by federal officials and he did not testify for or against Sung.

He also said that in state court he has voiced worries that Sung would be deported before her criminal cases are adjudicated.

"I was concerned that (deportation) would be a free plane ride home," O'Neale said.

O'Neale declined to comment on the decision by Langford to withdraw from the case.

Angelil's attorney, David Chesnoff, said he is not surprised that Sung can't afford an attorney.

"The reality is, because she found herself without money, she resurrected these false allegations against Mr. Angelil," Chesnoff said. "Mr. Angelil is glad this is finally behind him."

Regarding Sung's possible deportation, Chesnoff said: "It is a privilege to be admitted into this country. If you break the law, that privilege should be withdrawn."

Langford said he believes Sung eventually will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

"If an aggressive attorney gets a hold of it, it's a winnable case," he said.