An hour-long sex tape secretly recorded by a mistress triggered the downfall of Beijing vice-mayor Liu Zhihua , it was reported yesterday.
Zhang Yike , one of Liu's mistresses, videotaped them having sex at a luxury hotel after he failed to return her favours. She then sent the tape to Beijing authorities, the Hong Kong China News Agency reported.
Liu had many mistresses and, for convenience, built a 'luxury palace' in the Beijing suburbs managed by one mistress, the report said.
Liu is the highest-ranking Beijing official to fall from grace since the downfall of city party secretary Chen Xitong in 1995. Liu's trial at Hengshui Intermediate People's Court in Hebei on Tuesday came more than two years after he was taken away for an internal party investigation. Xinhua reported he led 'a decadent life'.
Prosecutors accused Liu, 59, of taking 6.96 million yuan (HK$7.61 million) in bribes in league with one of his mistresses, Wang Jianrui , in return for help in acquiring land development and bank loans.
Wang, 48, a legal representative of a construction engineering company, allegedly won projects for a tennis court, hockey ground and archery field at the Olympic Green development, with Liu's help. Liu was in charge of infrastructure and Olympic venue construction before being sacked in June 2006, mainland magazine Caijing said.