Seoul, Oct 26 (AP) Samsung's de facto chief Lee Jae-yong was fined 70 million won (about $60,000) on Tuesday for illegally using the anesthetic drug propofol, about two months after he was released on parole over a separate corruption case.

The Seoul Central District Court said it convicted Lee, vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics, of violating a law on drug controls. It said Lee was also ordered to forfeit about 10 million won ($8,570).

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Lee, who is the third-generation heir of South Korea's biggest company, Samsung, has been involved in a series of corruption cases lately.

The company's crown jewel, Samsung Electronics, singlehandedly represents about 20 per cent of South Korea's entire stock market value and one-fourth of its total exports.

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Prosecutors earlier accused Lee of taking propofol at a hospital in Seoul about 40 times for non-medical purposes.

Lee's lawyers said he took propofol in line with a doctor's prescription, according to the court.

Propofol is used for anesthesia and sedation.

Its use gained notoriety in 2009 when pop star Michael Jackson died of a propofol overdose.

In August, Lee was released from prison after serving 18 months of a 30-month sentence for embezzling millions of dollars from corporate funds to bribe then-President Park Geun-hye.

The bribery scheme was to ensure Geun-hye's support for a 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates that tightened Lee's control over the corporate empire.

Lee is also facing a separate court trial over alleged stock price manipulation, auditing violations and other financial crimes related to the 2015 merger. (AP) VM

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)