Photo: Xinhua
China's fierce anti-corruption campaign has exposed another record-breaking crime. The wealth found in the home of former Haikou city leader Lou Szengbin astonished not only the country but the entire world. Zamin.uz presents the details of this sensational trial and sentence.
In the basement "treasure": Tons of gold and cash
Former Haikou Mayor Lou Szengbin was arrested in 2019. The results of the search conducted in the basement of his home were incredible:
Gold: Total weight 13.5 tons of precious metal ingots;
Cash: Approximately 23 tons of funds in various currencies.
According to official data, the total value of these findings exceeds $4.5 billion. For perspective, this is more than the annual budget of many small countries worldwide.
Corruption chain and abuse of official position
During the investigation, it was proven that Szengbin had used his position for personal enrichment for decades. He had been "sponsoring" large construction companies and entrepreneurs by allocating land, approving projects, and securing state contracts in exchange for bribes.
The former official, who had worked in the state system since 1990, also held high positions in Hainan and Sichuan provinces. In May 2025, he was officially expelled from the Communist Party.
Sentence: A death sentence with a two-year reprieve
According to the court's decision, Lou Szengbin was deemed worthy of the death penalty. However, the execution of the sentence has been postponed for two years. This is a unique practice in Chinese legislation, where if the convict:
Does not commit another crime during the two years;
Actively assists the investigation in uncovering other corruption schemes,
his sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment or a long prison term.
Dear readers, do you think such harsh penalties against corruption will serve as a lesson for other officials? What are your thoughts on hiding tons of gold and cash in a basement?
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