China Sentences 14 to Death Over Biggest Ever Corruption Scandal
November 9, 2000 - 0:0
XIAMEN, China -- China on Wednesday sentenced 14 people to death over the biggest corruption scandal in the country's history, AFP reported.
The 14 were among 84 defendants tried in five cities in the southeastern Province of Fujian in a first wave of trials linked to a multi-billion dollar smuggling racket centered on the Port of Xiamen.
During the four-year operation run by the Yuanhua Group a total of 53 billion yuan (6.6 billion dollars) of goods were smuggled, costing the state 30 billion yuan in lost tax revenue, said Xinhua news agency.
"The huge Xiamen smuggling case involves the biggest amounts of money in any criminal case since the establishment of the country," said the agency.
Yuanhua Group chairman Lai Changxing oiled the wheels of the racket by paying bribes to hundreds of government and Communist Party officials, including senior customs and police officials.
Lai, 46, escaped the huge central government graft-busting investigation and has been reported to be hiding in fear of his life in Canada or Myanmar.
Among those facing execution were former Xiamen customs chief Yang Qianxian who pocketed 1.4 million yuan, Fujian Province Deputy police Chief Zhuang Rushun who received 545,000 yuan and Xiamen Vice mayor Lan Fu who got five million yuan, said Xinhua.
The other 11 defendants who received death sentences included customs officials, state banking officials and employees of the Yuanhua Group, said the agency.
The 14 were among 84 defendants tried in five cities in the southeastern Province of Fujian in a first wave of trials linked to a multi-billion dollar smuggling racket centered on the Port of Xiamen.
During the four-year operation run by the Yuanhua Group a total of 53 billion yuan (6.6 billion dollars) of goods were smuggled, costing the state 30 billion yuan in lost tax revenue, said Xinhua news agency.
"The huge Xiamen smuggling case involves the biggest amounts of money in any criminal case since the establishment of the country," said the agency.
Yuanhua Group chairman Lai Changxing oiled the wheels of the racket by paying bribes to hundreds of government and Communist Party officials, including senior customs and police officials.
Lai, 46, escaped the huge central government graft-busting investigation and has been reported to be hiding in fear of his life in Canada or Myanmar.
Among those facing execution were former Xiamen customs chief Yang Qianxian who pocketed 1.4 million yuan, Fujian Province Deputy police Chief Zhuang Rushun who received 545,000 yuan and Xiamen Vice mayor Lan Fu who got five million yuan, said Xinhua.
The other 11 defendants who received death sentences included customs officials, state banking officials and employees of the Yuanhua Group, said the agency.