The deputy governor of Liaoning province is under investigation for graft after he and his late wife were alleged to have used public money to pay for an expensive overseas holiday disguised as a business trip, media sources said.
The scandal was exposed when the name of the wife of deputy governor Liu Guoqiang was found on the passenger list of Air France flight 477 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris that vanished over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1.
Mr Liu was also confirmed to be overseas but spokesmen for the Liaoning government refused yesterday to reveal Mr Liu's whereabouts or to confirm whether he was under investigation for graft.
Nine Chinese nationals were among the 228 people aboard the flight, including Mr Liu's wife, Chen Chiping, and six people from the Liaoning-based Benxi Iron & Steel (Group), who were in Brazil for talks on buying iron ore.
A Benxi source said Mr Liu was also on the tour but the group had split up after finishing sightseeing in Australia.
Retired worker Wang Xinting told the South China Morning Post that a tour group of seven, including the official's wife, had left for Australia on May 17, while Mr Liu and two steel company officials joined the group a few days later.