Rappers Ravi (real name Kim Won-sik) and Nafla (real name Choi Seok-bae) have been sentenced to two years and two years and six months in prison, respectively, for faking brain seizure disorders to evade military service and other military corruption allegations.

On the morning of April 11, Judge Kim Jeong-gi of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 7 held the first trial for Ravi, Nafla, and nine others charged with violating the Military Service Act.

The nine defendants included Ravi and Nafla, co-CEO Kim of their entertainment agency Groovl1n, five public officials from the Seocho District Office, and Song, a civilian who had been working as a social service agent at the Seocho District Office.

Ravi and Nafla admitted to all the charges. In addition, the legal representatives for Ravi, Nafla, and CEO Kim acknowledged all the submitted evidence and requested to proceed immediately to the decision phase since there was no additional evidence.

The prosecution demanded two years in prison for Ravi, two years and six months for Nafla, and two years for Kim. The prosecution argued that the "defendants' offenses are serious because they conspired with military brokers and applied for discharge due to fabricated brain seizure and depression symptoms. They also delayed their military service for an extended period after the initial military service determination tests and eventually committed the crimes." They also noted that "the defendants confessed in court, but they denied and offered excuses before evidence was presented during the investigation, which was taken into account when determining the sentences."

Ravi, Nafla, and others were put on trial for evading military service by conspiring with military broker Gu and obtaining false diagnoses of brain seizure disorders. Gu was arrested and indicted last December and is currently on trial.

Ravi was initially classified as active duty in his first military physical examination in 2012 and repeatedly postponed his military service. In 2019, he received a Class 4 rating and postponed his service for the last time in February 2021. During this process, Ravi contacted Gu to obtain an exemption from military service and proceeded with a contract for 50 million won. Following Gu's coaching, Ravi faked a fainting spell and called 119, then visited the emergency room for outpatient treatment and reported false symptoms. Although he underwent a thorough examination and no abnormalities were found, he requested a diagnosis and submitted it to the Military Manpower Administration.

Nafla, who is part of Groovl1n, the agency Ravi co-represents, is accused of conspiring with fellow co-CEO Kim and military broker Gu to fake worsening depression symptoms to receive a determination of unsuitability for service. Nafla was assigned to the Seocho District Office in Seoul as a social service agent but did not show up for work for 141 days, manipulating the situation as if his depression had worsened. He then tried to obtain a falsified medical certificate for military service purposes to attempt early discharge. Five public officials who helped Nafla evade service by fabricating attendance records and other related official documents are also facing charges.

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