Once the most powerful man in South Korea, the boss of the massive Samsung corporation has been sentenced to five years in prison for bribe paying and embezzlement.

Lee Jae-yong, who also goes by Jay Y. Lee, claimed he was not guilty of paying millions of dollars in bribes to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, in return for political favors.  Ms. Park was impeached and ousted from office in December 2016, and her friend Ms. Choi faces prison time as well. 

Mr. Lee is the hereditary leader of Samsung, a massive family-run conglomerate known in Korean as a "Chaebol" that controls 17 percent of the South Korean economy.  The 49-year old stepped in to the head office after his father - who was also convicted of financial wrongdoing, but pardoned - slipped into a coma.  His grandfather founded the company in the 1930s.

Public revulsion over the scandal caused a major shift in South Korean politics, replacing Ms. Park's extremely conservative government with the Left-wing President Moon Jae-in earlier this year.  President Moon promised to reign in the power of the chaebols and vowed not to issue any pardons to rich kids who get into trouble.

Lee's defense attorneys say they will not need a seek a pardon:  They will appeal the verdict and are confident it will be overturned.