Samsung heir gets 5 years in prison in South Korea corruption case
A South Korean court on Friday sentenced billionaire Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong to five years in prison after finding him guilty of offering bribes to the country’s former president and other crimes.
The court said Lee was also guilty of embezzlement, hiding assets overseas, concealing profit from criminal acts and perjury.
The court said Lee hoped bribes for Park Geun-hye at the time she was president, as well as her close friend Choi Soon-sil, would secure government support for a merger that strengthened Lee’s control over the Samsung empire and its flagship Samsung Electronics at a crucial time.
Park and Choi also have trials underway.
Lee showed no particular reaction after his sentence was announced.
Lee, whose attempts to bribe South Korea’s president contributed to her ouster, took a small sip of water as he stood up to leave the courtroom.
After the ruling, local TV broadcasters showed an unnamed Samsung lawyer speaking to reporters, saying that Samsung will “appeal immediately.” There was no immediate official statement from Samsung.
“All parts of the ruling are unacceptable,” said the lawyer who was not identified in the TV images. “In the appeal ruling, we are certain to have all charges proved not guilty.”
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