Samsung heir convicted and fined on drug charges

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has been convicted and fined on drug charges.

Lee Jae-yong has been convicted for the illegal use of propofol. Propofol is a sedative that is mainly used in medical situations as an anaesthesia. The businessman is said to have taken the drug dozens of times over the last few years.

South Korean law allows both users and people who administer controlled drugs to be prosecuted.

Lee has seen much controversy lately. He was only paroled in August after having spent 20 months in jail. He had been convicted of embezzlement and bribery

According to the latest trial, Lee had used the sedative over a period dating from 2015 to 2020. He had passed the drug off as a skin treatment.

During the trial, Lee’s lawyer claims that Lee is suffering from psychological stress. The stress is said to be due to his father being hospitalised and legal issues. The lawyer claimed that Lee had used the drugs to help overcome this stress.

The Samsung heir has pled guilty to the charges against him. He was fined 70 million won (£43,000) on Tuesday. It is common for propofol users to receive fines rather than jail time. This is due to the fact the substance is less likely to be used recreationally.

In 2009 Michael Jackson was discovered to have taken a propofol overdose. This led to the singer’s untimely death.

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