He began serving as Vice President of Strategic Planning and then as "Chief Customer Officer", a management position created exclusively for Lee.

His prospects for future company leadership dimmed when his father Kun-hee stepped down as Chairman due to tax evasion.

[15] The charges came as part of a "vast influence-peddling case" that led to the impeachment of South Korean President Park Geun-hye the preceding month.

[16][23] Lee was charged with "offering US$38 million in bribes to four entities controlled by a friend of then-President Park Geun-hye, including a company in Germany set up to support equestrian training for the daughter of one of Park's friends, Choi Soon-sil" and "Prosecutors alleged the bribes were offered in exchange for government help with a merger that strengthened Lee's control over Samsung at a crucial time for organizing a smooth leadership transition after his father fell ill."[18] After his arrest, Samsung admitted to making contributions to two nonprofit foundations allegedly controlled by Choi and her Germany-based firm but denied such contributions were related to the 2015 merger.

[29] In January 2021, Lee was sentenced to two years and six months in prison by Seoul High Court, which found him "guilty of bribery, embezzlement and concealment of criminal proceeds" worth about ₩8.6 billion (US$7.8 million, GB£5.75 million), and found that Samsung's independent compliance committee, established in 2020, was not yet fully effective.

[31] In mid-2021, the United States Chamber of Commerce, a lobbying group of American companies, joined Korean business groups to urge the president to pardon Lee, arguing that the billionaire executive can help strengthen U.S. President Joe Biden's efforts to end American dependence on computer chips produced overseas amid the 2020–2023 global chip shortage.

His parole conditions included business restrictions for five years and requiring permission before travelling outside South Korea.

"[36][37] In August 2021, The Korea Herald reported that Lee retained his title as Samsung's "Vice-Chairman" despite not drawing a salary or being registered as an executive in compliance with his work ban.

[7] On October 26, 2021, Lee was convicted for illegally using the drug propofol multiple times between 2015 and 2020 from a plastic surgery clinic.