China Hands Former Political Adviser Han Yong Death Sentence for $36M Bribery Scheme

A Chinese court has sentenced former senior political adviser Han Yong to death with a two-year reprieve after finding him guilty of accepting over $36 million in bribes during a public career that spanned three decades.

According to the ruling by the Nanning Intermediate People’s Court, Han, 68, abused his high-ranking positions in the provinces of Jilin, Xinjiang, and Shaanxi to help companies and individuals secure contracts, business favors, and personnel appointments between 1993 and 2023.

The court found Han guilty of accepting 261 million yuan (approximately $36.2 million) in bribes, including real estate and other assets. In addition to the suspended death sentence, Han was permanently stripped of his political rights and had all personal assets confiscated. Illegally acquired properties have been transferred to the state.

Under Chinese law, a suspended death sentence is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the individual does not commit further offenses within the two-year reprieve period. Han, who previously served as chairperson of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), cooperated with authorities, admitted to his crimes, and returned the illicit gains, which contributed to the leniency of his sentence.

downfall began in October 2023 when China’s top anti-graft body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), launched an investigation into “serious violations of laws and regulations.” He was expelled from the Communist Party in April 2024. Han’s sentencing follows closely on the heels of another high-profile case: Zhao Weiguo, former chairman of Tsinghua Unigroup, was also given a suspended death sentence last week for large-scale financial crimes. Both cases reflect China’s continued crackdown on corruption among its political and business elites.