Failed Hunan People's Congress candidate admits to bribing 32 delegates

A 67-year-old businessman, Huang Yubiao, after running for a seat in Hunan Provincial People’s Congress,  admitted he had paid bribes totalling 320,000 yuan (HK$390,000) to 320 Hunan delegates in an attempt to get elected, China’s Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday. 

Hunan’s Communist Party Discipline Committee acknowledged that “parts” of Huang’s allegations were true and they would continue investigating the matter, the report said.

The disgruntled businessman said the scandal could implicate dozens of officials. He posted the story online earlier this month after finding out that many recipients of his money did not actually vote for him.

Huang said he had bribed 320 delegates. He paid each of them 1,000 yuan believing this would improve his chances of getting elected.

After he failed to get elected, Huang demanded the delegates pay back the money.

 Huang also revealed he had asked them to send the funds to his bank account. He had secretly videotaped those who returned the money to him in person.

The transaction records provided by Huang's bank and the tapes made by Huang showed all the money were returned from officials, said the report.

“Obviously he didn’t pay them enough money,” one netizen commented sarcastically on China’s twitter-like service Sina Weibo.

"The positions are getting so expensive now due to inflation," said another netizen.