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Billionaire Samsung Electronics vice president Lee Jae-yong was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for bribery and embezzlement on Monday at the Seoul High Court, DW reports.

His conviction is connected to the corruption scandal that brought down former President Park Guen-hye.

Lee "actively provided bribes and implicitly asked the president to use her power to help his smooth succession" at Samsung, the Seoul court said in its verdict. 

The city's highest court found Lee guilty of bribery, embezzlement and concealment of criminal proceeds worth about 8.6 billion won ($7.8 million, €6.5 million), and said the independent compliance committee Samsung set up in 2020 must still become fully effective.

Monday's verdict could prove the culmination of a retrial in a long-running legal battle for Lee.

Lee was sentenced in 2017 for offering millions of dollars in bribes to Park and her
longtime friend Choi Soon-sil.

His initial conviction to five years  was later reduced and suspended at appeal  after he denied wrongdoing, and he was released after serving a year.

Park and Choi are serving prison terms of 22 years and 18 years, respectively.