Samsung’s billionaire chief has been sentenced to jail.
Jay Lee was found guilty of bribery and sentenced to five years in jail. It’s in connection to a widespread corruption scandal. President Park Geun-hye was impeached over the scandal. The court ruled that Lee paid bribes for favors from Park. He was also found guilty of hiding assets abroad and embezzlement.
Lee was the heir to one of the world’s biggest corporate empires. The 49-year-old had a net worth of $6.2 billion. He usually lived in a $4 million mansion. But since February he stayed in a jail cell with just a mattress on the floor.
His five-year sentence is one of the longest given to a business leader in South Korea. Lee continues to deny any wrongdoing and one of his lawyers says he will appeal the lower-court ruling.