Samsung Group grappling with worst-ever management crisis following the arrest of de facto leader Jay Y. Lee is pulling together the best-possible legal defense to prove Lee’s innocence in the court against multiple charges including bribery and embezzlement.

The conglomerate had been confident of Lee walking free this time as well as the independent counsel hardly added any new to the second pursuit of arrest after the court rejected its request a month citing lack of grounds to place Lee in custody before trial.

Shares of Samsung Electronics where Lee is the vice chairman tumbled on the news that arrived before trading in Seoul Friday. At 1:10 p.m., shares were off 1.5 percent at 1,872,000 won. Other Samsung stocks also took hit. Samsung C&T shares were down 2.4 percent at 123,500 won and those of Samsung Biologics down 0.9 percent at 157,500 won.

The group suspects political opinion could have swayed the court judgment as the independent counsel has been making little progress in its case against President Park Geun-hye resisting search and questioning by the team of special investigators whose term ends later this month and attempting to delay the impeachment trial process at the Constitutional Court.

The pretrial arrest of Lee could affect the ongoing trial against Choi Soon-sil, the controversial friend of Park accused of exercising influence in broad areas and running suspicious nonprofit organizations on corporate donations.

Lee is accused of making handsome donations to Choi, her business, and family out of corporate coffers in return for Park’s influence over state authorities to help the 2015 merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries pivotal to cement Lee’s legitimate hold over the group on behalf of his bedridden father.

Samsung maintains Lee made the contributions upon presidential demand and denies any connection to the merger, listing of Samsung Biologics, and its plan to establish a financial holding group.

“The detention does not mean Lee is guilty. We will do all we can to prove our innocence,” said a group official.

By Song Sung-hoon

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