Corruption, Former Chinese Communist Party Secretary Fired And Soon Faces Prosecution

JAKARTA - China's anti-corruption watchdog said on Wednesday it had expelled the party's former Communist Party secretary from tech hub Hangzhou, five months after announcing he was being investigated for serious violations of the law.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said, following an investigation, it was found that Zhou Jiangyong "supported the irregular expansion of capital", "accepted large amounts of property illegally in cooperation with relatives" and was "involved in family corruption," citing Reuters January 26. .

It did not specify the specific nature of Zhou's alleged crimes or the names of any companies involved. Zhou could not be reached for comment and Reuters could not determine whether he had a lawyer.

CCDI said in a statement that as a result of its investigation, Zhou had been expelled from the party and would soon face prosecution.

The commission first announced it had placed Zhou under investigation for "serious violations of discipline and law" in August.

Days later, the commission asked thousands of officials in Hangzhou to conduct their own investigations and resolve business-related conflicts of interest involving themselves or relatives.

Last week, state broadcaster CCTV aired a documentary accusing Zhou of using his position to help his brother's business, which the couple profited illegally, including taking bribes.

The broadcast also interviewed Zhou, who admitted to the act but did not name the company.

On Friday, the Financial Times cited public records and sources linking Hangzhou-based fintech giant Ant Group to corruption cases. Ant Group did not respond to a request for comment on the report.