Corruption Conviction Lands Samsung Heir In Jail

A South Korean court has found Lee Jae-yong, the de facto chief of the sprawling Samsung business empire, guilty of bribery and other corruption charges. Lee, the billionaire son of Samsung’s chairman, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, well short of the 12-year sentence prosecutors had sought.

Lee had been accused of making large donations to foundations run by a close friend and confidante of the deposed South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, in return for political favours. The court said Lee provided bribes anticipating support from Park, who was still president at the time, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.Lee’s lawyers said they would appeal. “As a lawyer I cannot possibly agree with the juridical decisions and acknowledged facts involved in the verdict,” the Samsung attorney Song Woo-cheo said outside the court. We will appeal against the decision and I am sure that in the appellate trial all the charges will be dismissed.”