So far, the Samsung heir and boss Lee Jae Yong had made headlines and served prison terms mainly because of corruption. But now he had to answer again in court and was convicted: Lee has to pay a staggering payment for illegal drug use.
As the heir to the largest South Korean company, you are of course under special scrutiny. After Lee’s prison sentence, which he had served for corruption, was suspended this summer, the next trial is already following, which is causing a stir in the Asian country. But this is of a much more personal nature: Lee was convicted of illegal drug use.
The court, therefore, considered it to be proven that the Samsung legacy has repeatedly used propofol illegally – according to South Korean law, it is a strictly controlled substance that can only be administered to a very limited extent. The anesthetic is also used as an intoxicant and was unsightly famous in 2009: the pop star Michael Jackson died of an overdose of propofol. Exact details on the circumstances in which Lee’s drug use became known are currently not available.
For Lee, however, the monetary penalty in the current case is negligible. As reported by Yonhap South Korean news agency, the fine was set at 70 million won, which is a little over 51,500 euros. Lee is ranked 238th richest person with an estimated net worth of € 8.8 billion.
The damage to the image of the Samsung boss should also be limited. Bribery and embezzlement scandals had earned Lee several prison terms. However, the enormous importance of his company for South Korea repeatedly leads politics and society to turn a blind eye.
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