Ding Shumiao, tycoon linked to China’s ex-rail chief Liu Zhijun, gets 20 years’ jail for bribery
Businesswoman plotted with former minister to help companies win huge transport contracts
A businesswoman who colluded with the jailed former railways minister Liu Zhijun to help clients win contracts worth billions of yuan has been jailed for 20 years.
Ding Shumiao has also been fined 2.5 billion yuan (HK$3.2 billion), the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court said, its highest fine yet.
The 59-year-old tycoon from Shanxi province plotted with former railways chief Liu to carve up more than 180-billion yuan worth of projects, severely disrupting the bidding system for railway contracts.
Ding, who is also known as Ding Yuxin, was found guilty of bribery and illegal business activities. Her personal assets of 20 million yuan would be seized, the court said.
The businesswoman built up a network of connections with rail officials, steering bids for 57 projects worth about 186 billion yuan to 23 companies between 2007 and 2010. She took over 2 billion yuan in "middleman" fees through these transactions.
Portrayed as a key financier behind the fallen railways minister Liu, Ding and her family were accused of profiting by nearly 4 billion yuan from contracts for the high-speed railway network through Liu's help, The Beijing News reported.