China executes former official involved in $412million corruption case

China has executed Li Jianping, a former official from Inner Mongolia, for corruption involving approximately 3 billion yuan ($412 million).

The case marks a rare application of the death penalty for graft, as President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign intensifies. 

Li, who previously served as the party chief of an economic development zone in Hohhot city, was convicted in September 2022 of taking bribes, misusing public funds, and colluding with a criminal syndicate. His appeal was rejected in August, and the Supreme People’s Court subsequently approved his execution.  

The 64-year-old was allowed to meet with family members before his execution on Tuesday, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.  

The death penalty for corruption in China is uncommon, with most officials receiving suspended death sentences that are later commuted to life imprisonment for good behaviour.

Li was convicted of amassing illicit wealth on a scale rarely seen among officials of his rank.

Despite holding relatively modest local government positions, he was found guilty of embezzling over 1.437 billion yuan (about 200 million U.S. dollars) of funds from state-owned enterprises, receiving gifts and money totaling more than 577 million yuan, and misappropriating over 1.055 billion yuan in public funds.

In addition, Li was convicted of enabling illegal operations by a criminal syndicate under his watch.

Li appealed the decision after the intermediate court sentenced him to death in 2022, with lifelong deprivation of political rights and confiscation of all assets, but the Higher People's Court of Inner Mongolia rejected his appeal in August.

Upon reviewing the case, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) ruled that Li's crimes were extremely severe, citing the exceptionally large amounts embezzled and received in bribes, the grave nature of the offenses, the widespread negative social impact and the immense harm to the state and public interests.

The SPC approved the decision of the Higher People's Court of Inner Mongolia to uphold the death penalty. Li was permitted to meet with his next of kin before the execution.

Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption drive has resulted in the prosecution of a record number of senior officials for two consecutive years. The campaign has also expanded to the military, implicating high-ranking officers, including Miao Hua, a close Xi ally and member of the Central Military Commission.