Politics
13:28, 09-Apr-2018
S. Korean ex-leader Lee charged with multi-million dollar graft
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South Korean prosecutors indicted former president Lee Myung-bak on Monday for corruption, Yonhap reported.
Lee was charged with 16 counts of corruption, receiving 11.1 billion won (10.4 million US dollars) in kickbacks from the country's intelligence agency and big companies including Samsung Electronics.
Samsung is alleged to have paid 5.85 million US dollars of retaining fee, on Lee's behalf, in the US for DAS, a South Korean auto parts maker which prosecutors said Lee owns under the names of his relatives.
Former South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, leaves his residence as he is transferred to a detention house on March 23, 2018 in Seoul. /VCG Photo
Former South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, leaves his residence as he is transferred to a detention house on March 23, 2018 in Seoul. /VCG Photo
DAS is under investigation for embezzlement, tax evasion and the creation of a slush fund, which is believed to have been funneled into Lee for his presidential campaign.
Lee, who served as South Korean president from 2008 to 2013, has been in pretrial detention since last month on charges of bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement and other irregularities.
He is the fourth former South Korean president to be arrested and put on trial after former presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and Park Geun-hye.
He has denied most of the charges against him and has refused to meet with prosecutors visiting him at his detention center for additional questioning.
The indictment came days after Park was sentenced to 24 years in jail on Friday.
Park was found guilty of bribery, abuse of power and a series of other charges. She has refused to appear in any of her court proceedings.
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