Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong fined Rs 44.32 lakh for using illegal drug in South Korea

Samsung’s de-facto boss Lee Jae-yong, who was released from prison in August, was convicted and fined for illegally using the anaesthetic drug propofol on Tuesday. As per a BBC report, the embattled multi-billionaire took the drug, commonly used as an anaesthetic, dozens of times in recent years even though the South Korean law states the recipients of the controlled drug can be prosecuted along with the ones who administer it. 

Lee was released on parole in August after spending 20 months in jail after being convicted on charges of bribery and embezzlement. In the latest trial, the prosecutors reportedly said that the Samsung vice-chairman used propofol multiple times between 2015 and 2020 under the guise of skin treatment.

However, his lawyer has claimed that the businessman used the anaesthetic to treat psychological stress linked to the hospitalisation of his father, Lee Kun-hee and the ongoing legal proceedings. Jae-yong has pleaded guilty to all charges. 

The South Korean court fined him 70 million won ($59,000, Rs 44.32 lakh). Since propofol is less likely to be misused than other controlled substances, the offenders mostly receive fines and not jail terms. It is pertinent to note that the sedative is used for patients undergoing surgery but sometimes, is known to have been used recreationally. 

Samsung heir's prison sentence 

The Samsung Electronics vice chairman was previously sentenced to 2.5 years in prison by the Seoul High Court for his involvement in a 2016 corruption scandal that had triggered massive protests and ousted the then president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye. However, Lee was released early in August this year with the presidential office saying that under Lee’s leadership, Samsung would help the nation produce “semiconductors and vaccines.”

Subsequently, Samsung pledged to invest 240 trillion won ($206 billion) over a period of three years in fields such as chips and biopharmaceuticals. Since then, Lee has reportedly kept a low profile. 

(Image: AP/Unsplash)