Court orders confiscation of former senior official's assets

A court in Heilongjiang province has ordered the confiscation of assets linked to a former senior official accused of large-scale corruption, after he fled abroad, according to CCTV news on Wednesday.

The Mudanjiang Intermediate People's Court ruled that the evidence in the case proves that Li, taking advantage of his positions as director of the Jixi finance bureau and vice-mayor of Jixi city in Heilongjiang, committed acts of embezzlement, bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of power.

Li fled overseas and failed to appear in court after being wanted for one year. The properties and other gains, including cash, real estate, and company equity, for which the procuratorial organ applied for confiscation, were deemed illegal gains and shall be confiscated according to law.

The relevant objections and claims raised by the interested parties were all deemed unfounded. The court thus made the ruling.