Report: Official's mistresses helped him collect bribes

A Jiangxi provincial official being investigated for corruption is said to have had a number of mistresses, China Economic Weekly reported on Tuesday.

Chen Weimin, 55, was placed under investigation in September for "severe disciplinary and law violations", a euphemism for corruption, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Chen is alleged to have bribed former Party chief of Jiangxi province Su Rong to get promoted. Su was also put under investigation in June, according to media reports.?

The amount of the bribes in Chen's case is not clear.

The magazine reported that Chen had various mistresses and two sons born out of wedlock.

He confessed to the disciplinary authorities that he even shared bribes from businessmen with some mistresses so he could support other mistresses.

The mistresses reportedly helped collect the bribes entrepreneurs paid Chen to win contracts for projects.

"Such behavior is so ugly," an anonymous disciplinary official in Jiangxi province said.

After China intensified its anti-corruption campaign in late 2012, Chen broke up with one of his longtime mistresses after paying her compensation of 10 million yuan ($1.6 million), China Economic Weekly reported.

Chen got the compensation money from a local entrepreneur, who said he bribed Chen as a reward for his "help" in business, according to the report.

Anti-corruption has been a priority for the CPC Central Committee since late 2012, and President Xi Jinping has taken strong measures to fight corrupt officials.

Hong Daode, a law professor from China University of Political Science and Law, said, "Although adultery doesn't constitute a crime according to China's criminal law, it seriously violates the Party rules.

"Mistresses are considered as important catalysts for the corruption of officials. The Party will impose severe punishments on corrupt officials as a warning to others, such as expelling them from the Party or removing them from their posts."

Contact the writer at wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn