Former Jiangxi Official Hong Lihe Sentenced to 20 Years for Bribery and Money Laundering
China’s Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Hong Lihe, a former senior legislator in Jiangxi province, to a combined 20 years in prison on 28 April 2026 for accepting bribes, abuse of power and money laundering.
Hong, formerly deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Congress, was found to have accepted more than RMB92.2 million (approximately US$13.5 million) in bribes. The court also imposed financial penalties and ordered the recovery of his unlawful gains, according to the judgment reported by Chinese state and judicial authorities.
The first-instance ruling is notable because the court treated the handling of criminal proceeds as a distinct money-laundering offence alongside the underlying corruption and abuse-of-power conduct. It reflects China’s continued use of money-laundering charges in major public-corruption cases, rather than relying solely on the predicate bribery offence.
Hong’s case formed part of a broader enforcement campaign targeting senior provincial officials and the concealment of corruption proceeds. The judgment remains subject to the applicable appeal process.
Sources: Supreme People’s Court of China; China Daily.
