Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea
Samsung Group’s de-facto chairman Lee Jae-yong was convicted on Tuesday for illegally using the anesthetic drug propofol multiple times and fined US$60,055, Yonhap News Agency reported.
According to the news agency, the Seoul Central District Court convicted Lee of violating the Narcotics Control Act and ordered the forfeiture of an additional US$14,587.27.
According to Yonhap, the fine and the seizure order are the same as what prosecutors sought for Lee.
Yonhap reported that Lee was indicted 41 times during January 2015 and May 2020 on charges of consuming propofol for non-medical treatment in southern Seoul.
In May this year, Lee was jailed in South Korea after being convicted in a massive corruption scandal. While in prison, Lee was running a business from behind bars, communicating decisions through company executives. His imprisonment, however, caused a national palm-up over the future of the technology giant in the country.
In an earlier statement, Samsung said that Lee’s role is to “contribute to the company’s overall strategic direction and make decisions related to future growth through his insights and global network of business leaders.”
(with inputs from ANI and AP)
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