MedicalNeed
New Member
Lisette Lee gave up her protestations of innocence today and pleaded guilty to a drug charge in U.S. District Court.
The 29-year-old California woman, whose claim that she's an heiress to the Samsung fortune has rocketed her story around the world, admitted that she is a drug dealer by pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms of marijuana – about 2,200 pounds.
The crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a possible maximum sentence of life.
The Drug Enforcement Administration concluded that Lee was a primary courier and at one point stored majiuana in her Los Angeles apartment. Lee appeared in court with John Saia, a Columbus lawyer she hired Wednesday.
Her bodyguard, Frank S. Edwards, also pleaded guilty today – to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana – about 220 pounds.
That carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum term of 40 years in prison.
In exchange for the pleas and cooperation, prosecutors agreed to drop other charges against Lee and Edwards.
Federal Judge Algenon L. Marbley will sentence the two at a later date.
Lee and Edwards were arrested June 14 after they got off a private jet at Lane Aviation at Port Columbus with what authorities said was 13 suitcases filled with marijuana. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents also have charged five others in the case.
In September an indictment charged that Lee had made 11 other trips to Ohio with marijuana between November 2009 and June 2010.
What today's hearing didn't clear up is Lee's relationship to the Samsung family.
From the moment she was arrested, Lee claimed that she was the granddaughter of Byung-Chul Lee, the founder of Samsung. Lisette Lee said her parents, who were not married, had friends adopt her at birth and take her to the United States.
Samsung has denied in carefully worded statements that she is a member of the family, one of the richest in South Korea.
Lee never provided concrete evidence of the tie or of her birth or adoption records. But her aunt testified under oath that Lee's mother was Corine Lee, the daughter of Byung-Chul Lee. Her adoptive parents issued statements that the tie was real.
Lee had proclaimed the connection for years in her social circles.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source:dispatch.com
Author: Kathy Lynn Gray
Contact: Contact the Dispatch
Copyright: 2011 The Columbus Dispatch
Website:Lisette Lee pleads guilty in marijuana case
The 29-year-old California woman, whose claim that she's an heiress to the Samsung fortune has rocketed her story around the world, admitted that she is a drug dealer by pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms of marijuana – about 2,200 pounds.
The crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a possible maximum sentence of life.
The Drug Enforcement Administration concluded that Lee was a primary courier and at one point stored majiuana in her Los Angeles apartment. Lee appeared in court with John Saia, a Columbus lawyer she hired Wednesday.
Her bodyguard, Frank S. Edwards, also pleaded guilty today – to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana – about 220 pounds.
That carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum term of 40 years in prison.
In exchange for the pleas and cooperation, prosecutors agreed to drop other charges against Lee and Edwards.
Federal Judge Algenon L. Marbley will sentence the two at a later date.
Lee and Edwards were arrested June 14 after they got off a private jet at Lane Aviation at Port Columbus with what authorities said was 13 suitcases filled with marijuana. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents also have charged five others in the case.
In September an indictment charged that Lee had made 11 other trips to Ohio with marijuana between November 2009 and June 2010.
What today's hearing didn't clear up is Lee's relationship to the Samsung family.
From the moment she was arrested, Lee claimed that she was the granddaughter of Byung-Chul Lee, the founder of Samsung. Lisette Lee said her parents, who were not married, had friends adopt her at birth and take her to the United States.
Samsung has denied in carefully worded statements that she is a member of the family, one of the richest in South Korea.
Lee never provided concrete evidence of the tie or of her birth or adoption records. But her aunt testified under oath that Lee's mother was Corine Lee, the daughter of Byung-Chul Lee. Her adoptive parents issued statements that the tie was real.
Lee had proclaimed the connection for years in her social circles.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source:dispatch.com
Author: Kathy Lynn Gray
Contact: Contact the Dispatch
Copyright: 2011 The Columbus Dispatch
Website:Lisette Lee pleads guilty in marijuana case
