Chinese court hands former local official a death sentence in $325M bribery case
WASHINGTON — A former local official in eastern China has been sentenced to death for taking bribes totaling hundreds of millions of dollars over a three-decade period.
Yang Youlin, a former economic development official in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, was found to have illegally accepted property and assets valued at over 2.21 billion yuan ($325 million) from 1993 to 2023, according to the Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court.
Yang’s case is part of President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which critics argue is used to eliminate political rivals. The bribes were given in exchange for assistance with various projects, business operations, land grants, and working capital.
In addition to bribery, Yang was convicted of embezzlement, offering bribes, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power, and money laundering. The court described his case as one of the most significant corruption scandals in recent years due to the large sums involved.
Yang expressed remorse for his actions during his final statement in court. Public hearings for the case were attended by over 30 people, and Yang’s personal assets will be confiscated to recover the full amount of bribes he received.
This is not the first instance of a Chinese official being sentenced to death for corruption. In recent years, several others, including Lai Xiaomin and Li Jianping, have met a similar fate for their involvement in corrupt practices.
