South Korean prosecutors have recommended imprisoning a billionaire Samsung heir for 12 years if he is condemned of bribery and other crimes in a national corruption scandal.
Prosecutors’ recommendation on Monday closes the four-month-long hearing over the allegations against Lee Jae-yong.
The 49-year-old vice chair at Samsung Electronics was accused in February on charges including offering $38 million in bribes to a friend of then-President Park Geun-hye to seek government help in a union that strengthened his control over Samsung. Park was removed from office and is being tried separately.
Lee has denied all charges and distanced himself from Samsung’s now-disbanded private strategy office that oversaw the merger at the centre of the scandal.
The charges could entail at least five years in prison if Lee is convicted.
