BEIJING — Two top officials previously in charge of China's official state lottery have been stripped of their positions on suspicion of taking bribes, China's top graft watchdog said late on Sunday.
Since assuming power in late 2012, President Xi Jinping has pursued a relentless campaign against corruption, warning that the problem could threaten the party's ability to retain power if left unchecked.
Former head of the China Welfare Lottery Management Center, Bao Xuequan, and his former deputy, Wang Yunge, were suspected of corruption following an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China's top graft watchdog.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs, which runs the Welfare Lottery, had removed both officials of their party and state positions, the watchdog said in a statement on its website.
Bao was found to have used his position to seek material benefits, accept gifts and have "improper sexual relations," while Wang was found guilty of the same crimes, as well as for resisting the investigation against him and on suspicion of leaking state secrets, the CCDI said.
Wang and Bao could not be reached for comment. Both their cases will be handled by the judicial authorities, the watchdog said. Officials charged with crimes by the CCDI are almost always found guilty.
Two civil affairs officials in charge of oversight of the lottery were demoted in February this year for failing to do enough to tackle "systematic corruption" in the ministry.
Gambling is officially illegal in China, outside of the two state-run lotteries, the China Welfare Lottery and the China Sports Lottery.
Earnings from the lotteries are supposed to be funneled back into social welfare and sporting projects, though it has long been suspected that a portion of the profits are pocketed by corrupt officials.
A 2015 report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a state-backed think tank, found that almost 17 billion yuan ($2.56 billion) was improperly used out of a randomly inspected 658 billion yuan spent from the state lottery fund that year.
Excellent work being accomplished by President Xi Jinping. Anti- corruption is a difficult job in any country. The CCDI is protecting their Chinese Culture.
Bao and Wang...newest organ donors in China. They don't play with their criminals.
Bao and Wang better hope they won't be the newest organ donors in China. They don't play when it comes to criminals in China!
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To: Wang and Bao,
It's a harsh world in which we live.
This is truly a sad situation for you two. I personally expect better from Asian people.
The errors of just a couple of citizens have not ruined my opinion.
I personally hold the Asians, which I've seen here, in the USA, to a higher standard,
and your errors, if judged guilty, have not ruined my opinion.
The organ donor thing is HARSH, when I think about it.
I never heard of it, but if they do that over there, I believe it.
It's not right to engage in corruption. I hate corruption, anywhere.
I'd hope for a lengthy sentence, for you two, at most. Not death.
But you have your rules over there.
I don't put much faith in positive outcomes where Chinese trials are concerned.
I've prayed for your peace, during your ordeal and waiting.
You got that straight bleudog.China has " Mobile execution vehicles," looks a lot like a Winnebago, except it's all tricked out, to send criminals to the hereafter. They don't play games. The owners of that factory that was caught on YouTube exploding a year or two ago, those guys were finished off not to long after.l think a pair of lungs landed in Wisconsin.
Hogan: Will he even get a fair trial?
Burkhalter: Of course! The Court Martial proceedings will begin tomorrow morning promptly at 9:00 a.m. Followed immediately by the execution at 9:15.