A warrant is being sought for the arrest of Lee Jae-yong, heir to Samsung and son of the current company chairman on multiple charges Including bribery in a case linked to the country’s ongoing political scandal that caused the impeachment of President Park Geung-hye. Lee will face a judge this week to determine if the warrant is valid, according to South Korean media.
Samsung has been accused of donating $3.1 million to a nonprofit operated by a friend of President Park as a bid to win government support for a planned merger between Samsung C&T, the company’s construction wing, and Cheil Industries, an affiliate.
As part of the case, Lee, grandson of Samsun founder Lee Byung-chul, was questioned by prosecutors last week. Vice-chairman of Samsung, Lee has been assumed to be heading the company in all but name since his father, Lee Kun-hee’s 2014 heart attack.
