He became the first government minister of the Czech Republic to be imprisoned: he was handed a five-year jail term in 2005 and served three years of the sentence.
From 1997, he was the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the company Liberta [cs], a manufacturer of baby transport based in Mělník.
Svoboda became the Minister of Finance in July 1998 as his party won the national election, following a campaign promising voters a corruption-free government.
[1] In July 1999, police announced their intention to start prosecution proceedings on criminal charges against Svoboda while he was still in the Cabinet.
[2] His term as Minister of Finance came to an end less than a week later, as he was sacked by President Václav Havel.