Prominent figures brought down by scandal

Samsung chief Lee Jae Yong's jail sentence has been suspended.
Lotte chairman Shin Dong Bin gets 30 months in prison.
Lotte chairman Shin Dong Bin gets 30 months in prison.
Samsung chief Lee Jae Yong's jail sentence has been suspended.

The graft and cronyism scandal centred on former president Park Geun Hye and her confidante Choi Soon Sil has ensnared senior government officials and business leaders since it erupted in 2016.

We look at the most prominent figures to have been tried:

LEE JAE YONG, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS VICE-CHAIRMAN

The 49-year-old de facto chief of Samsung was sentenced last August to five years' jail over charges including bribery and embezzlement for paying billions of won to support the equestrian career of Choi's daughter in exchange for Park's help to strengthen his control of Samsung Electronics.

But the sentence was reduced last week to a suspended one on appeal, allowing Lee to walk free after serving just six months.

SHIN DONG BIN, LOTTE GROUP CHAIRMAN

Shin, 63, was sentenced to 30 months' jail and fined 7 billion won (S$8.5 million) yesterday after the Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of charges stemming from Lotte's decision to give 7 billion won to Choi, allegedly in exchange for government favours in providing a licence to operate duty-free stores.

AHN JONG BEOM, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL AIDE

The then senior economic secretary to Park was given six years in prison yesterday for blackmailing conglomerates into making contributions to two foundations run by Choi. Ahn, 58, was also convicted of taking 49.4 million won in personal pay-offs.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 14, 2018, with the headline Prominent figures brought down by scandal. Subscribe