Police in Xian , Shaanxi , detained a county-level cadre from Guangdong accused of faking a 'special connection' with former US president Bill Clinton to make money, mainland media reported yesterday.
The Xian-based newspaper Chinese Business View said Weng Pengyu , a standing committee member of the Dianbai county People's Political Consultative Conference, faced preliminary charges of conducting illegal business activities and cheating.
It said Weng and his two Xian partners, Zhu Lihua and Ji Haijun , collected nearly 7 million yuan (HK$8 million) from investors after printing adverts for a health remedy derived from a tree.
A spokesman at the Beilin District Detention Centre confirmed yesterday that Weng had been held since Saturday but would not say when he would be charged.
The newspaper said Weng, 39, an animal-feed businessman, had pretended to be an economist to persuade Xian residents to take part in a pyramid sales scheme aimed at promoting his Chinese yew medicine - a remedy that he said fought cancer.
To draw more people, Weng said his product was supported by foreign leaders, including Mr Clinton. He forged a photograph with the former president in his advertising bills.
