Ex-official in China stands trial in $31M corruption case – Xinhua

Agence France-Presse

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Ex-official in China stands trial in $31M corruption case – Xinhua
'Wang Zongnan was accused of embezzling ($31 million between 2000 and 2006 when he was chairman of Shanghai Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co,' reports state news agency Xinhua

BEIJING, China — A Chinese businessman who is believed to be an ally of former President Jiang Zemin stood trial on Friday, December 12 in a $31 million corruption case, state media said.

Wang Zongnan, a former official who later became head of a huge Shanghai-based food group, was put under investigation in August, reports previously said.

The move suggests that the anti-corruption drive by Chinese president Xi Jinping is targeting the Shanghai power base of his predecessor — a city that has long been considered Jiang’s turf.

“Wang Zongnan was accused of embezzling 190 million yuan ($31 million) between 2000 and 2006 when he was chairman of Shanghai Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co,” a report by state news agency Xinhua said Friday.

“He was also charged with accepting 2.69 million yuan of bribes,” the report added, citing a statement from the Shanghai municipal No. 2 intermediate people’s court.

Wang’s parents bought two villas in Shanghai for 2.7 million yuan below the market price from a “subsidiary of a company their son did a favour for,” the report said.

Wang was once an aide to former Shanghai Communist party chief Chen Liangyu, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2008 for bribery and abuse of power.

China’s financial capital has long been seen as Jiang’s domain. He was once the city’s party chief and his faction in the ruling party is known as the “Shanghai Gang”.

Communist Party authorities have waged a much-publicised anti-graft campaign since Xi ascended to the organisation’s leadership two years ago.

But critics say no systemic reforms have been introduced to increase transparency to help battle endemic corruption. — Rappler.com 

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