Samsung leader sentenced to five years in prison in bribery case

Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday by a South Korean court for his role in a bribery scandal that also brought down the country’s president, according to Reuters.

Lee was convicted of bribing former President Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office earlier this year, as well as embezzlement, hiding assets overseas and perjury.

Lee’s attorneys said that they would appeal the decision.

{mosads}“This case is a matter of Lee Jae-yong and Samsung Group executives, who had been steadily preparing for Lee’s succession … bribing the president,” said Seoul Central District Court Judge Kim Jin-dong, referring to Lee by his Korean name.

Lee is the vice chairman of the Samsung Group and the company’s de facto leader.

Park is also facing corruption charges and is expected to receive a ruling by the end of the year.