China charity boss investigated over sex-for-cash demand to desperate mother of sick child

The boss of a charity organisation in China has been accused of seeking sexual favours from a desperate mother in exchange for donations to help her seriously ill child.

A female charity worker, surnamed Zheng, who helped set up the 9958 Project under the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children, publicly accused Lei Ke, the regional head of the project, of exploiting a mother the charity was supposed to be helping.

Founded in 2010, the Beijing-based foundation is one of China’s most well-known charities.

Zheng revealed that the 9958 Project, which is designed to help children with severe illnesses, is one of the most “resourceful” initiatives within the foundation.

Lei, who is now under investigation by the authorities, was head of the project for central China, in charge of Henan and Hubei provinces, reported The Paper.

It is unclear at this stage of the probe if there are other victims.