Former Provincial Law Enforcement Official Gets Life for Taking Over $20 Million in Bribes
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Yang Fassen, a former top law enforcement official in Qinghai province and once a rising political star, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for accepting more than 147 million yuan ($20.1 million) in bribes.
A court in Hanzhong, Shaanxi province, handed down the sentence to Yang, a former alternate member of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, convicting him of bribery, stripping him of his political rights for life, and ordering the confiscation of all his personal property. The verdict marks the latest downfall of a high-ranking official under a long-running anti-graft campaign that continues to target corruption among the nation’s political elite.
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- Yang Fassen, ex-Qinghai law enforcement chief and former political rising star, was sentenced to life in prison for accepting over 147 million yuan ($20.1 million) in bribes.
- He abused power from 2005 to 2024, was stripped of political rights, expelled from the Communist Party, and had assets confiscated.
- Yang is the 45th centrally administered official sentenced for corruption in 2025, and the sixth born in the 1970s.
- March 2005 - July 2024：
- Yang Fassen abused his power by accepting bribes and providing assistance to companies and individuals through his various party positions.
- 2015：
- Yang Fassen was awarded the title of “National Outstanding County Party Secretary.”
- 2021：
- Yang Fassen became the youngest vice chairman of Xinjiang regional government and received the title of 'National Advanced Individual in Poverty Alleviation.'
- 2022：
- Yang Fassen was elected as an alternate member of the 20th Party Central Committee.
- May 2024：
- Yang Fassen moved to Qinghai as part of a personnel reshuffle.
- July 12, 2024：
- Yang Fassen made his last public appearance before disappearing from public view.
- October 14, 2024：
- The party’s top anti-graft watchdog announced Yang Fassen had turned himself in.
- March 2025：
- Investigators announced Yang Fassen had been expelled from the Communist Party and removed from public office. His case was transferred to prosecutors.
- September 12, 2025：
- Yang Fassen's trial began.
- October 29, 2025：
- Yang Fassen was sentenced to life in prison for accepting bribes.
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