A Chinese court has sentenced Yang Youlin, a former senior official in the eastern city of Nanjing, to death for accepting bribes. According to a statement from the Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court, Yang illegally accepted money and property totaling over 2.2 billion yuan (approximately $324 million) during his tenure in various government positions from 1993 to 2023.

The court in Jiangsu province said the bribes were paid in exchange for assistance with projects, business operations, land grants, and working capital. Yang was also convicted of embezzlement, offering bribes, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power, and money laundering. Public hearings for the case took place over two days in March and April, with more than 30 attendees.

This case is noted for the unprecedented scale of the bribes involved. It follows a similar high-profile case in 2024 when Li Jianping, a local official in Inner Mongolia, was executed after being found guilty of embezzlement and bribery.

Sources