Top prosecutor alleges that CCTV official took bribes
Guo Zhenxi, a veteran of the state broadcaster's marketing and financial news departments, has been taken away by prosecutors
A senior executive with state broadcaster CCTV, at one point in charge of billions of yuan in advertising revenue, has been detained by prosecutors on suspicion of corruption.
Guo Zhenxi, 49, China Central Television's financial news channel director, and producer Tian Liwu, are suspected of accepting bribes and were taken into custody in "recent days", the Supreme People's Procuratorate said in a brief statement late last night.
Earlier, the influential mainland news outlet Caixin, citing several anonymous sources, reported that Guo had been detained by prosecutors from Jilin province. CCTV did not did not comment.
Caixin reported following the fall in December of former deputy national police chief Li Dongsheng, who had a long stint with CCTV, that there had been rumours Guo was assisting authorities with their investigation of Li.
Li is widely seen as a close aide of the former security tsar Zhou Yongkang , who himself is under a Communist Party graft probe.
Guo joined the network as a financial reporter in 1992 and became a deputy chief of advertising in 1998, according to Caixin.
Between 2005 and 2009, he served a dual role as both the state broadcaster's advertising chief and head of its financial news channel, CCTV-2. He gave up the marketing role in 2009.