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| Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong jailed for corruption | Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong jailed for corruption |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A court in South Korea has sentenced Samsung's billionaire heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong to five years in prison for corruption. | A court in South Korea has sentenced Samsung's billionaire heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong to five years in prison for corruption. |
| Mr Lee was accused of bribery in a scandal that also saw the impeachment of South Korea's former president. | Mr Lee was accused of bribery in a scandal that also saw the impeachment of South Korea's former president. |
| The case has gripped the public amid growing anger against South Korea's biggest companies, known as chaebols. | The case has gripped the public amid growing anger against South Korea's biggest companies, known as chaebols. |
| Mr Lee, who denied all charges, had faced a jail sentence of up to 12 years. | Mr Lee, who denied all charges, had faced a jail sentence of up to 12 years. |
| Also known as Jay Y Lee, the de facto head of the world's largest smartphone maker had been detained since February on a string of corruption charges. | Also known as Jay Y Lee, the de facto head of the world's largest smartphone maker had been detained since February on a string of corruption charges. |
| These included including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas. | These included including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas. |
| The 49-year-old was accused of giving donations worth 41bn won ($36m; £29m) to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, in return for political favours. | |
| Prosecutors said the donations were made to Ms Park's confidante to win government support for a big restructuring of Samsung that would strengthen Mr Lee's control over Samsung Electronics. | |
| A lawyer for Mr Lee has said already said they will appeal against the decision. | A lawyer for Mr Lee has said already said they will appeal against the decision. |
| "We are confident the ruling will be overturned," lawyer Song Wu-cheol told reporters after the ruling, according to Reuters. | "We are confident the ruling will be overturned," lawyer Song Wu-cheol told reporters after the ruling, according to Reuters. |
| Nevertheless this ruling represents a huge blow to South Korea' biggest and most well-known business empire. Since the verdict, Samsung shares fell by 1%. | Nevertheless this ruling represents a huge blow to South Korea' biggest and most well-known business empire. Since the verdict, Samsung shares fell by 1%. |
| The conviction raises questions about Mr Lee's leadership of the conglomerate. He has been standing in as chairman since his father, Lee Kun-hee, suffered a heart attack in 2014. | |
| The Samsung scandal contributed to President Park's eventual impeachment. Her friend Choi Soon-sil has already been jailed for three years for corruption. |