Ahn Sung-hyun, husband of South Korean singer and actress Sung Yu-ri, has been released on bail after receiving a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence in a high-profile cryptocurrency bribery case.

The Seoul High Court on Tuesday approved Ahn's bail request, setting the amount at 50 million KRW (approximately $36,000 USD), according to court officials.

Ahn was convicted in December 2023 for taking millions of won in bribes in exchange for pressuring a cryptocurrency exchange to list digital tokens.

The court placed strict conditions on Ahn's release, including a prohibition on contacting other defendants or witnesses and a requirement to obtain court permission before leaving the country.

In addition to the prison term, the court ruled that the two luxury watches Ahn had received from the illegal transactions would be forfeited.

Prosecutors alleged that Ahn worked in collusion with businessman Kang Jong-hyun to fabricate an urgent need for a 2 billion KRW bribe to facilitate a coin listing, misleading Bithumb Holdings' then-CEO Lee Sang-joon.

Lee was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 50 million KRW. Kang received a sentence of one year and six months.

Sung Yu-ri, formerly a member of the girl group Fin. K.L., a well-known actress, publicly expressed distress over the legal proceedings. "I just hope the truth will be revealed," she said prior to Ahn's sentencing.

Despite the controversy, Sung resumed her entertainment activities in April, returning to television via a home shopping program.

The couple's involvement in the scandal has sparked significant public interest, with widespread media coverage focusing on the intersection of celebrity, finance, and criminal law.

Ahn's release on bail does not affect the original sentence. He will remain under judicial monitoring as the case proceeds through possible appeals and related legal actions.