Junior Judge Disappears With Millions in Beijing Court Scandal
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Bai Bin joined the Enforcement Bureau of the Beijing No.3 Intermediate People’s Court in mid-2014
A seismic scandal has rocked Beijing’s judicial system, exposing cracks in the internal management of court-controlled funds and vulnerabilities in oversights.
In early May, just after China’s Labor Day holiday, reports began circulating that Bai Bin, an assistant judge at the Beijing No.3 Intermediate People’s Court, had vanished — together with a massive haul of enforcement funds estimated to be worth between 130 million yuan ($18 million) and nearly 300 million yuan.
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- Bai Bin, an assistant judge in Beijing, disappeared with an estimated 130 million to 300 million yuan in court enforcement funds.
- Bai, who had Greek citizenship, allegedly funneled the funds abroad and is currently at large after fleeing to Japan.
- The incident highlights vulnerabilities in China's judicial system regarding the management and oversight of court-controlled funds.
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What Happened When
- 2005：
- A similar case at the Tianjin Maritime Court involved staff embezzling more than 120 million yuan in enforcement funds.
- June 2005：
- China’s Supreme People’s Court imposed trial regulations requiring dedicated accounts and cross-departmental oversight in response to the Tianjin Maritime Court scandal.
- Mid-2014：
- Bai Bin joined the Enforcement Bureau of the Beijing No.3 Intermediate People’s Court.
- 2017：
- The Supreme People’s Court regulations regarding court-controlled enforcement funds were revised and formally codified.
- Earlier in 2025：
- Bai Bin submitted a resignation request, which had not been formally accepted when he fled.
- Shortly before May Day holiday in 2025：
- Bai Bin disappeared with enforcement funds.
- Early May 2025, just after Labor Day holiday：
- Reports began circulating about Bai Bin's disappearance and missing funds.
- After Bai Bin's disappearance in 2025：
- Authorities were tipped off after Bai’s girlfriend confided in a friend.
- After the incident in 2025：
- Zhang Meixin, a former vice president of the same court, was placed under graft investigation.
AI generated, for reference only
- CX Weekly Magazine
Jun. 6, 2025, Issue 21
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