South Korea's Supreme Court has definitively cleared Samsung's de facto head, Lee Jae-yong, of all fraud charges related to a 2015 merger. This concludes a years-long legal battle stemming from accusations of stock and accounting manipulation to consolidate family control. The court upheld previous not-guilty verdicts, rejecting claims the merger aimed to transfer control from his ailing father. The decision follows earlier pardons and multiple court appearances, marking a significant end to a high-profile case that garnered intense scrutiny of Samsung's corporate practices.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.