Published January 13, 2015
Angelil also underwent a blood test to screen for HIV, according to proceedings Wednesday in a felony extortion trial against the rape accuser's husband, Ae Ho Kwon.
But lawyer Martin Singer said Angelil, his client, always denied sexual misconduct with the woman, Yun Kyeong Kwon Sung (search), in a Las Vegas Strip hotel room.
"We wanted confidentiality to make sure if money is paid, no one will ever become aware of this allegation again," Singer said.
Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass ruled Wednesday that Angelil was not properly served with a subpoena and will not have to testify at Kwon's trial. The judge said previously she wanted to keep Kwon's trial from focusing on Angelil's civil dealings with Sung.
Kwon, a Presbyterian minister from Pasadena, Calif., is being tried on charges of extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion and witness soliciting a bribe.
Defense lawyer Lisa Rasmussen had sought to cross-examine Angelil about the extortion accusations.
"Everyone has been very protective of Mr. Angelil," Rasmussen said.
Another Angelil lawyer, David Chesnoff, said in court Wednesday that that at the time Angelil paid Sung and Kwon, Angelil decided it was best to settle the case even though he did nothing wrong.
"Rene Angelil at the time was suffering from cancer, his wife was going through a difficult time, and he did whatever he could to make these people go away," Chesnoff said. "Little did he know that they (Sung and Kwon) would try to extort him."
Singer said that about a year after the 2000 payment and apology, Sung and Kwon demanded Angelil pay an additional $20 million. Sung said she had a dress that probably had Angelil's DNA on it and that she possessed Angelil's underwear.
Sung later filed police reports in Las Vegas claiming rape, but police closed the investigation after Sung refused to turn over the dress and other items.
Sung and Kwon were arrested after a January 2003 meeting between attorneys. No charges ever were filed against Angelil.
Sung was convicted last year of extortion and other charges and sentenced in January to 28 months to five years in prison. The native of South Korea also faces deportation in a separate federal immigration case.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/celine-dions-husband-explains-hush-money