Lee Jae-yon is found guilty of offering bribes, embezzlement, hiding assets overseas, concealing profit from criminal acts and perjury
A South Korean court has sentenced the 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.
It 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 and 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 Friday.
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.
Local TV broadcasters showed an unnamed Samsung lawyer speaking to reporters after the ruling who said 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 on the TV footage. “In the appeal ruling, we are certain to have all charges proven not guilty.”
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