Former Coal Boss Sentenced after Burglary Revealed Bribes

(Beijing) — Five years after a burglary at his house exposed his ill-gotten gains, the head of China's biggest state-owned coking coal firm was imprisoned for corruption and abuse of power.

Bai Peizhong, a former chairman of Shanxi Coking Coal Group Co., received a 13.5-year prison sentence for accepting over 35 million yuan ($5 million) in bribes between 2001 and 2011 in return for approving coal deals and assisting associates with getting promotions. He was also fined 3 million yuan by the court in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Thursday.