A court in eastern China has sentenced former local official Yang Youlin to death for accepting bribes totaling approximately 2.21 billion yuan ($325 million) over a three-decade period, authorities announced Monday.
Yang, who previously served as an economic development official in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, illegally accepted property and assets from 1993 to 2023, according to a statement from the Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court. The bribes were paid in exchange for assistance with projects, business operations, land grants, and working capital.
Corruption Charges and Conviction
In addition to bribery, Yang was convicted of embezzlement, offering bribes, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power, and money laundering. The court stated that Yang expressed guilt and remorse during his final statement. Photos released by the court showed a gray-haired Yang standing between two uniformed police officers.
Public hearings for the case were held on two separate days in March and April, with over 30 attendees, the court said. Following the conviction, Yang's personal property will be confiscated, and authorities will attempt to recover the full amount he received in bribes.
Broader Anti-Corruption Campaign
Yang's sentencing is the latest in President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which has been in place for about a decade. Critics have suggested that the campaign has also been used to sideline political opponents.
This case is one of the most significant corruption cases in recent years due to the immense scale of the bribes involved. Previously, Lai Xiaomin, a party secretary for a state-owned company, was sentenced to death and executed in 2021 for bribery, embezzlement, and bigamy. In 2024, Li Jianping, an official in Inner Mongolia, was executed after being found guilty of embezzlement and bribery.