Lee Jae-yong, heir to the founding family of the Korean group Samsung, of which he is vice president, was sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment in South Korea for corruption, embezzlement, perjury and other crimes. The Seoul Prosecutor's Office had asked for a 12-year sentence. Lee was accused in the scandal that led to the impeachment and then the arrest of former President of the Republic Park Geun-hye.
The 49-year-old Samsung vice president with personal assets estimated by Forbes at 7 billion dollars has always denied having ever sought political favors but was already arrested in February, as he allegedly promised or paid 43,3 billion won ($38,3 million) to Choi Soon-sil, President Park's confidante and "shaman.", in order to obtain the support of the public pension fund for the intra-group restructuring plan whose aim was to strengthen its control over the group's chain of command. Of the total, 20,4 billion won would end up in Mir and K Sports, dubious foundations attributable to Choi.
