China Welfare Lottery high-ranking officials accused of corruption

China has removed two high-ranking lottery officials from their positions after an alleged suspicion of bribery and corruption.

According to the state news agency Xinhua, the former head of the lottery centre Bao Xuequan, and his former deputy director Wang Yunge are suspected of taking advantage of their positions to solicit bribes in the form of gifts as well as having improper sexual relations.

The investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) also determined that Wang Yunge is additionally accused of leaking state secrets, which is considered a more serious crime.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs, responsible for the Welfare Lottery, has quickly taken action and it removed both Xuequan and Yunge from their positions. In the official report by the CCDI, it states that both cases have been transferred to the judicial authorities for further investigation and prosecution.

This news follows President Xi Jinping’s fight against government corruption, particularly in the gaming industry. Back in 2015, a extensive investigation found out that multiple lottery administration centres across 18 Chinese provinces had misused close to RMB 17bn (US $2.8bn). Officials were shortly removed and given a temporary suspension.