China’s 2nd most wanted economic fugitive gets life sentence

One of China’s most wanted economic fugitives has been sentenced to life imprisonment for corruption.

Chinese police escorting Li Huabo (C), second of the list of China’s “100 most wanted economic fugitives” after he arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport. May 9, 2015. [Photo / Xinhua]

Shangrao Intermediate People’s Court on Monday awarded life imprisonment to Li Huabo, 55, the second on the list of China’s ‘100 most wanted’ economic fugitives who had fled overseas.

The former local government official from Poyang County, east China’s Jiangxi Province, was accused of embezzling 94 million yuan (about USD 14 million).

Li escaped to Singapore in 2011, where he funneled 29 million yuan (about USD 5.2 million) through Singaporean banks before fleeing the country.

He was sentenced to 15 months in jail by a Singaporean court for “dishonestly accepting stolen property” in July, 2014.

In May 2015, Li was repatriated to Beijing after serving 10 months of his sentence.

Li was the first of China’s “100 most-wanted economic criminals” to be returned from overseas.

He was repatriated as part of the “Sky Net” campaign, which aims to return corrupt officials and economic fugitives who have fled the country.