The Supreme Court has acquitted Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong of charges related to a controversial merger in 2015 between Samsung affiliates that tightened his grip over the company. 

The top court issued the ruling Thursday, clearing Lee of a number of charges including breach of trust, stock manipulation, and violations of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. 

Lee and Samsung executives were indicted in September 2020 over allegations related to the controversial merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. 

Prosecutors argued that the defendants broke the law to help Lee gain control of South Korea’s largest conglomerate at a lower cost.

After a full acquittal on all 19 charges in the first trial in February last year, Lee was also cleared of all 23 charges in the second trial this February.