Zhou Jiangyong, the former Communist Party secretary of Hangzhou, has been sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court, Reuters reported on July 25. State media reported that he was found guilty of taking more than 182 mn yuan ($25.48 mn) in bribes. The sentencing was made public at a court in Chuzhou, Anhui province, on July 25. Zhou was the former party chief of Hangzhou, a city southwest of Shanghai known for being home to tech giants like Alibaba and Ant Group.
Court's findings inform that Zhou had accepted bribes personally or through his relatives in various cities and counties in Zhejiang province between 2001 and 2021. In return, he provided assistance in deals related to construction and land acquisition. The report did not mention the names of other parties involved in the bribery.
Zhou's case has attracted significant attention due to his high-ranking position and the amount of money involved in the corruption charges. The court handed him a suspended death sentence, which will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years.
Zhou's downfall began in August 2021 when he was placed under investigation for serious violations of discipline and laws. Subsequently, he was expelled from the Communist Party and removed from his post as party chief a few months later. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection highlighted his involvement in supporting disorderly expansion of capital, accepting large amounts of property with the help of his relatives, and engaging in familial corruption.
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