CONFLICTS

Lawyers deny all charges against Samsung heir

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2017, file photo, Lee Jae-yong, center, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., arrives at the office of the independent counsel in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung lawyers have denied all charges brought against Lee Jae-yong, the billionaire heir to Samsung, in a massive corruption scandal that has ensnared the country's president. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2017, file photo, Lee Jae-yong, center, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., arrives at the office of the independent counsel in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung lawyers have denied all charges brought against Lee Jae-yong, the billionaire heir to Samsung, in a massive corruption scandal that has ensnared the country's president. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) (The Associated Press)

Samsung lawyers have denied all charges brought against Lee Jae-yong, the billionaire heir to Samsung, in a massive corruption scandal that has ensnared the country's president.

Lee's lawyers told a court Thursday that prosecutors are unfairly trying to create an impression Lee is guilty by mentioning a past conviction of his father and by depicting Lee as having absolute control over a strategy office that allegedly engaged in bribery.

The 48-year-old Samsung Electronics vice chairman was arrested and indicted last month on bribery, embezzlement and three other charges. Four other Samsung executives were charged. They were not at the trial.

Prosecutors believe that Lee and his aides used Samsung corporate funds to bribe President Park Geun-hye and her close friend in exchange of supporting a smooth leadership transition at Samsung.