Samsung CEO is Released from Prison for Being Too Important
Jay Y. Lee, vice president of Samsung, will be released on bail on Friday. Politicians, public opinion and businesses alike fear that Samsung will miss out on opportunities if the CEO cannot manage.
Jay Y. Lee is currently serving a prison sentence for, among other things, bribery and embezzlement. He bribed a good friend of the former Korean president.
Getting and keeping Lee in jail proves difficult. In August 2017, the man was given a five-year sentence, of which he served one year before the sentence itself was suspended and subsequently reduced. He has been behind bars since January but is now released on bail.
The reason for this is remarkable. Lee has repaid the embezzled amounts but can also count on broad public and political support. For example, Reuters says that lobb...