Beijing Zoo boss claims he made 8 million yuan fortune moonlighting as cab driver
Apart from unexplained wealth, ex-official also accused of pocketing 14 million yuan in bribes
A former deputy chief of the Beijing Zoo, when asked to explain the source of 8 million yuan (HK$10 million) in valuables and cash, told a court he had been moonlighting as a cab driver for decades.
Xiao Shaoxiang was charged with corruption, taking bribes and “possessing huge assets of unknown origin” in a Beijing court on Wednesday.
Six million yuan in cash, paintings and gold bullion from unknown sources were found in Xiao’s apartment – a cache worth a total 8 million yuan, according to the court.
This is just part of the largesse that prosecutors are questioning.
Apart from that, the Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court said in the indictment that Xiao accepted more than 14 million yuan worth of bribes.
Xiao denied all the charges and defended himself by saying he had moonlighted as a cab driver after work since 1975, The Beijing News reported. He may have driven a “black taxi”, a private car for hire at a pre-arranged price.
Xiao also told the court that all the assets came from “legitimate income”. He claimed his wealth could be traced to a combination of sources, from his salary to loans from relatives.