The only conviction to stick to Lee Jae-yong was sponsoring equestrian training for Choi Soon-sil’s daughter:
The photo shows Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong smiling as he comes out of a courtroom at the Seoul High Court on Feb. 5, 2018, after he was released on a suspended sentence over bribery in connection with a corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye. (Yonhap)
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was released Monday after an appellate court handed him a suspended sentence dismissing most of the key charges against him in a bribery and corruption scandal that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye last year.
The Seoul High Court sentenced Lee to 2 1/2 years in prison with a stay of execution for four years. He was immediately freed from a nearly yearlong incarceration.
Two former group executives were also released on suspended sentences. They were given four-year jail terms by the lower court.
Lee, 50, was arrested on Feb. 17, 2017 on five charges, including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas.
A lower court sentenced him to five years in prison, on Aug. 25, for giving 8.8 billion won (US$8.1 million) in bribes to Park and her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, in return for government backing of the merger of two key Samsung units, a process that was deemed vital to tighten Lee’s control of South Korea’s biggest conglomerate. The prosecution had demanded 12 years in prison for Lee.
But the appeals court acknowledged as bribes only some 3.6 billion won which Samsung sent to Choi’s German-based firm to sponsor the equestrian training of her daughter, Chung Yoo-ra.
The court found Lee “passively” complied with Park’s request to sponsor the former dressage rider after he was apparently intimidated by Park and Choi. [Yonhap]
Here is the strangest thing about the court ruling:
But the appeals court acknowledged as bribes only some 3.6 billion won which Samsung sent to Choi’s German-based firm to sponsor the equestrian training of her daughter, Chung Yoo-ra.
The court found Lee “passively” complied with Park’s request to sponsor the former dressage rider after he was apparently intimidated by Park and Choi.
What did former President Park tell him that was so intimidating that is what I want to know?
I’m more puzzled at why it costs over 3 million to learn how to ride a horse. ❓
I think that money went into buying the pricy Euro breed horse and stable fees.
Special horse-riding hats and pant-su…