A former vice-mayor in Zhejiang in the east was put on trial on charges of taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power, state media said yesterday.
Xinhua said Xu Maiyong, 52, former vice-mayor of the provincial capital Hangzhou, was involved in taking at least 200 million yuan (HK$237 million) in bribes and state property from 1995 to 2009. His three-day trial began on Wednesday in the Intermediate People's Court of Ningbo city.
Early reports said Xu's wife Qi Jiqiu was also involved and investigated. Qi was promoted from a village warehouse accountant to a county cultural centre head in 1999 after marrying Xu.
When Xu was vice-mayor of Hangzhou, she became a close business partner of some property developers and shareholders of many local big enterprises in the city.
Besides Qi, local media said at least three property developers in Hangzhou were investigated after Xu was sacked following the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inquiry - the party's anti-corruption watchdog - in April 2009.
Local media said Xu had become the watchdog's target because of his connection with a 10-square-kilometre wetland park near the famous West Lake.