Chinese official 'traded influence for jade in cash-free graft case'
Anhui's former deputy governor Ni Fake accepted precious jade ornaments in exchange for influence in a sign corrupt officials are moving away from cash exchanges
A Chinese businessman who wanted a senior provincial official working on his side and took a hint on how to achieve that when a deputy governor commented on the carved jade ornament hanging from his belt, investigators allege.
They said Ji Lichang began acquiring jade for former Anhui deputy governor Ni Fake in return for mining rights and land the businessman could use for his metal company.
In a report released on Monday, China’s top corruption watchdog said Ni accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, much of it in carved jade.
The case illustrates how corrupt officials and businessmen are increasingly concealing bribery by using gifts of artwork and precious stones rather than money.
Ni came under scrutiny last June and was expelled from the ruling Communist Party and removed from office in September.
He is among at least a dozen senior officials who have been ousted since President Xi Jinping became China’s leader in November 2012. Xi has staked his administration’s reputation on fighting corruption, which he says threatens the legitimacy of the party’s rule.
In its report, the Communist Party’s Discipline Inspection Commission did not give a total sum for Ni’s alleged bribe-taking, but said it dated back to at least 2005 and that nearly 80 per cent of it was conducted in jade.
