Beleaguered Samsung vice-chairman Jay.Y Lee has another issue added to his list of growing legal woes as he is set to stand trial today in a separate case involving unlawful use of a sedative, just as he got out on parole following a conviction for bribery in August.
The trial will be held at Seoul District Central Court. Lee is accused of receiving propofol outside of medical care needs at a clinic. Clinic staff, who are being tried separately, have denied wrongdoing. South Korean law tries both recipient and provider of any controlled substance deemed to have been administered illegally is liable for prosecution.
Lee was previously convicted of bribery and embezzlement and sentenced to 30 months in jail - including a year served before his sentencing. He was paroled in August, with the presidential office calling for public understanding, citing hope that he will help the country produce "semiconductors and vaccines". Since his release, Samsung has announced that it will invest $240 trillion won in semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals in the next three years
He is being held on trial for simultaneous cases of stock-price manipulation and fraud related to the $8 billion merger of two Samsung firms in 2015. If Lee is convicted idn the sedatives case, he faces up to 5 years in prison or a fine equivalent to more than $40,000.