A court in eastern China has sentenced former Nanjing city official Yang Youlin to death after uncovering a staggering коррупtion scheme involving more than 2.2 billion yuan ($325 million) in bribes accumulated over three decades.
Yang, 69, who held multiple strategic positions in Nanjing between 1993 and 2023, was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, abuse of power, and money laundering—crimes authorities described as among the most severe in recent years.
According to state media, Yang leveraged his influence to manipulate engineering contracts, land deals, and financing approvals, trading public trust for personal wealth in cash and valuables. Investigators say his actions inflicted “exceptionally heavy losses” on the state and its citizens.
The case forms part of President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption crackdown, which has targeted high-ranking officials across government, military, and financial sectors. While the campaign has been praised domestically for tackling deep-rooted коррупtion, critics argue it has also served political interests.
Despite cooperating with investigators and pleading guilty, the court ruled that Yang’s crimes were “extremely serious” and too grave to merit leniency. His assistance, officials said, could not offset the scale of damage caused.
Death sentences for financial crimes remain rare in China but are enforced in cases involving extraordinary sums. Yang’s punishment follows similar high-profile executions, including former finance chief Lai Xiaomin in 2021 and Inner Mongolia official Li Jianping in 2024.
In his final statement, Yang expressed remorse—but for authorities, it came far too late to save him from the ultimate penalty.
@BBC
