Chinese fugitive repatriated from US 'helped launder money for his sister' who is also wanted by Beijing
A Chinese fugitive repatriated by the United States is alleged to have set up a company to launder money for his sister, another fugitive now in custody in the US.
The repatriation of Yang Jinjun, 57, comes ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to the US, which begins tomorrow and is likely to feature anti-corruption cooperation high on its agenda.
Yang, from Wenzhou, the former general manager and legal representative of Minghe Group, fled China in 2001 amid suspicions of bribery and corruption. He was repatriated on Friday, but his sister Yang Xiuzhu, who fled two years later, remains in the US where she is in custody on immigration charges. Both were on a list of 100 wanted fugitives released by Beijing.
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Xinhua reported yesterday that Yang Jinjun had turned to his sister, then deputy mayor of Wenzhou, after a business loss in 1996 left him in debt. His sister allegedly asked a real estate developer under the local railway department to transfer 11 million yuan (HK$13million) to her brother's account.
A business partner of Yang Jinjun told Xinhua his company was set up to "help Yang Xiuzhu with money laundering". Minghe Group, set up in 1995, covered businesses ranging from metals to electromechanical appliances.
Yang Xiuzhu fled China in 2003, after failing to rescue another brother, Yang Guangrong, who was a deputy manager of the real estate developer that transferred the money. He was sentenced to 101/2 in jail in 2004 for receiving bribes.
Corruption allegations against Yang Xiuzhu involved a total of 253 million yuan, the city's anti-corruption watchdog said in 2004. She stood trial in the US in June for violating immigra and remains in custody .
Yang Jinjun had spent most of his money in the US and led a "destitute life", a source told Xinhua. Before his repatriation he had been in US custody since 2014 on immigration charges.
